Fate Splintered Peace
by LordAnthoras
Summary: Grails are the source of miracles, and yet, to prevent global destruction, the Holy Grail was dismantled. Now, a new Grail rises in Helsinki, Finland. Aasaa Emiya, overshadowed son of Shirou and Rin, dodges assassinations at the Clocktower. Vowing to punish those responsible, he accepts the brutal invitation to partake in a new Grail War.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note (Added on 9th Jan 2020 after Chapter 48) :**

**Hi everyone,**

**As the fic draws to a close, I**

**I want to say thank you to everyone who has read what I've written. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it.**

**I did receive comments asking for me to write a SYOA fic. In response, I have plans to write a sequel featuring YOUR Characters and suggestions. Please comment on which Servants/Masters you would like to see in a possible sequel for this series, and I'll be happy to include them so long as they make sense. Also, reviews to critique the story are welcome.**

**Once again, thank you everyone!**

* * *

**Author's Note: **

While discussing a Fate CYOA, my friends and I grew attached to several magi and Servants not seen in the Nasuverse. Soon, I found myself writing several chapters to explore a hypothetical Grail War. I'm not going to give away too much, but here is my finished work: An action/fantasy tale full of original characters, inspired by Fate anime.

I took some liberties on the canon lore, and wrote what I believed would make for a interesting story. I hope you enjoy what I've written.

I uploaded a bunch of chapters first (1-6). Future posts will come on Tuesdays and Fridays, so two chapters a week. :)

Lastly, I know how frustrating it is to read a fanfic that goes dormant/dead. I promise I won't, as my story is already complete, and it's just a matter of time before I upload it all.

I'm always open to feedback and support. Thank you!

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**Chapter 1: A New Hero of Justice**

Aasaa sat with his feet crossed. Around him lay several pictures of a semi-preserved scimitar. A weathered book on blacksmithing rested on his desk, the pages yellow and brittle, resembling the wings of a dying moth.

Raising his hand forward, he gritted his teeth, forcing himself to get the process right. Fuelled by desire to prove himself, he closed his eyes and unlocked his Magic Circuits, releasing a surge of mana crackling like raw, static electricity through them. Now ready to cast his spell, he fixated on only one thing, a scimitar. Tensing his muscles, he opened his palm to reveal rough hands, hands that would soon hold worthless air given value. Summoning all his passion and will, he began the incantation for Projection Magecraft.

"Trace On."

His mana settled, a sudden calm in a tempest of energy. One would require great skill to amass such a large quantity, and even more to tame it.

"Judging the concept of creation."

He recalled the details of the scimitar. 14th century, Middle Eastern in origin. Designed to be used while mounted on horseback.

"Hypothesizing the basic structure."

With this incantation, he visualized its dimensions, measurements, and individual parts. The curved edge, its golden hilt. He understood now, how each piece came together to build something greater.

"Duplicating the composition material."

Mana turned into molecules of cold, hard steel used to make the blade. Another metal formed the guard, a harder alloy, containing more carbon, perfect for withstanding impact. A layer of aged leather wrapped around the grip.

"Imitating the skill of its making."

Aasaa closed his eyes to concentrate, unable to afford even the slightest distraction. Visions of the scimitar's crafting filled his blank, pitch black view. To project a weapon from the past, he had to relive the weapon's story. He had conceptualized the scimitar.

The scimitar's blacksmith laboured for two weeks, keeping at the labour of his love, his toil unceasing. He did not mind working through day and night, and paused only for a bite from an unleavened loaf. He smelt the ore, forged the steel, tempered it. His devotion to his work would put a parent raising their child to shame. Aasaa replicated all these steps, taking the position of the blacksmith as he remade the weapon. Aasaa could feel it now, a strain aching in his muscles as weariness flowed into his fingers. He forced his way through the exhaustion, beads of sweat dotting his brow. The power of the finished result matched the investment. Aasaa's hand no longer held air, but the makings of the scimitar's handle.

"Sympathizing with the experience of its growth."

Aasaa visualized the blade, now wielded by a young nomad, riding across the shifting sands of Persia. His heart raced, blood heated by pursuit. Tailing him, a cloud of dust kicked up by his pursuers. They were gaining on him, and with veins thundering with adrenaline, he fought for his survival.

"Reproducing the accumulated years."

The scimitar lay among the dunes, gripped by lifeless hands. The wind brought sand over it, the dry conditions shielding from rust. Its former wielder would be lost in time, but the blade remained, deep beneath the desert, never seeing light for another 500 years. An archaeological dig freed the blade at long last. Worn and old, the blade told a story from another time.

"Excelling every manufacturing process."

Aasaa condensed all he knew about the blade. From ore plucked from the rocky depths, to its final resting place behind a glass casing in the museum. Every scratch. Every stain. Every minuscule detail. It contributed to its story, and he reproduced it.

A bright flash of light covered his hands as the Projection finished. Aasaa beheld his latest creation, comparing it to the original. Deciding that his replica matched the original, he tried a few practice swings. Satisfied with his work, he brought it to a table lined with cloth. Here, a dozen other weapons rested, those that met his standards. He placed the scimitar down and strolled around his workshop, his feet passing a heap of failed creations, covered in dust as they faded back to mana in desolation. Toiling away at forging weapons had caused weariness to cling to him like a disease, as boredom set in. Sighing, Aasaa reflected on his situation.

_Well, this 5-week stay in the Clocktower is going just as expected. Boringly. _

Aasaa counted the minutes and seconds to his parents' return. They were out meeting this person, Lord El-Melloi The Second. Something regarding the now defunct Grail Wars had come up, and this Lord required them. Not his though. Overshadowed as always. While the big shots contemplated an omnipotent artefact, he sat waiting in a glorified dormitory.

_Just my luck. A lifetime spent looking up to these heroic figures, and studying the Grail Wars, and the one time something happens, I'm left out. _

On the left wall of the workshop were mounted several of his father's best creations. At least, they were replicas of them. The originals remained in their home in Fuyuki. His father made them with "Trace On" Projection, a technique unique to his father. When they moved here, his father projected them again and put them on display. The displayed projections of Kanshou and Bakuya, and of Caladbolg rested on the wall, their dormant power waiting to be called upon. They played a key role in the Fifth Holy Grail War, earning themselves a place on the wall.

Aasaa picked up one of his creations from the table. His gaze fell upon its minor imperfections, his fingertip brushing against the smooth metal and picking up the shallowest of dents. Despite his weapons being able to impress almost anyone, he refused to settle for anything but perfection, as when compared to the perfect ones his father made, his were a shade inferior.

He knew why of course. Proper "Trace On" Projection required one to see the real weapon. His version only used blueprints, imagination and pictures. Not perfect, but more versatile. Sometimes, it left room for him to make his own modifications

His father was none other than Shirou Emiya, the Hero of Justice.

Hero. The word meant everything to Aasaa. He yearned for the shining status of being a hero. He wanted to follow the heroes of legend, and shape history with righteous deeds. It was a perfect ideal. Unattainable, and yet he pursued it without end.

Aasaa grew up on tales of Servants and the Grail Wars. Their epic battles and stories forever left their mark in history. Aasaa wanted his own story, to emulate his parents who made their mark in history by winning the Fifth Holy Grail War. They saved the world from Gilgamesh, who wanted to use the Holy Grail to destroy humanity.

Boring days like today were the perfect time for him to hone his Magecraft. At least, boring days when he was not missing out. He would have given anything to follow them. Aasaa resigned himself to more monotonous projecting, as he opened his palm and closed his eyes.

Then it came. A knock on the door. A sharp rapping, 3 swift strikes. Aasaa's ears twitched at the sound, as his eyes snapped open. He got to his feet to investigate. Still in between sitting and standing, he heard the pat of quick yet reluctant footsteps as his apartment door creaked open. The footsteps approached his workshop, they would enter any second now. He turned to face the noise, bracing for an attack. Most magi regarded it a sign of aggression if a magus were to enter another's workshop without permission. Aasaa raised his scimitar, poised to defend.

He lowered his weapon slightly, the pressure of upholding vigilance easing by a margin when a woman hugging herself entered his workshop. Her body bent over slightly, she tried to appear composed, though her trembling betrayed her. Her eyes darted around the workshop, before focusing on Aasaa.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"I'm so sorry I had to barge in. I need your help." The woman brought her empty hands towards Aasaa, her face pained with worry.

Aasaa sheathed his scimitar. She presented no threat. He had no reason to turn away someone who needed help, after all, one of the hallmarks of being a hero was helping others.

"I'm looking for a Shirou Emiya." The woman looked around the room for any sign of him.

"He's-" Aasaa masked a pulse of inadequacy when she asked for his father, and not him. "Not in. I can't tell you where he is." He scratched his head, apologizing for not being able to help her. Introducing himself, he directed her to the living room. The woman's jitters did not cease, despite several attempts to calm her. He could not get a straight answer from her, or even anything resembling an answer. She kept dodging the question, unable to look at him in the face. Aasaa saw in her hesitant speech that she knew more than she spoke of, yet something held her back. Aasaa recognized this as an indication that someone coerced her into being here.

"Who forced you to look for my father?"

"No one. I'm an investigator." The woman shifted in her chair. She produced a piece of paper and scribbled on it. Deep, angry strokes of her pen carved dark, harsh lines across the sheet.

_An investigator? Is this related to the Grail Wars, what Mom and Dad have been up to?_

Aasaa sat beside her and pledged to render her his assistance. The woman nodded without paying much attention, now engrossed in notetaking. She wrote in a weird language. Her pen smelled of ash, and the ink pulsated with mana. He soon realized she did not write notes, but runes. Mana swirled around the piece of paper as it glowed purple. His ears stung from a shrill ringing noise emanating from it.

_A defensive ward? Concealment from eavesdropping? Maybe that's why she didn't say anything important yet._

The paper vibrated, as swirls of purplish light flowed out of it, a sign she had overloaded it with mana. The lines changed shade, as reds mixed with the purple. It hummed with energy, giving off an alarming glow. The air stank of guilt, and Aasaa felt a sense of impending doom approach.

The rune had long since reached critical mass, and it was moments from exploding. He had not recognized the threat early enough. With a swift flick of her hand, the paper left her fingers and zipped toward Aasaa. It engulfed him purplish smoke, as mana stormed and struck. His body jolted, as the attack threw him across the room. Aasaa's corpse clattered against the wall several meters away, covered in wounds. Blackened skin burnt to a crisp, singed flesh torn off, revealing bone. Dead.

The woman got up and approached the corpse, taking a moment to check for signs of life. The odour of burnt flesh gave her pause, as guilt set in. She realized she had taken a life.

"You know, our defences are far better than that," a voice said from behind the woman.

The landscape changed, as the entire room's surroundings shifted to reveal a brightly lit living room. The corpse of Aasaa disappeared. The real Aasaa stood tall, weapon at the ready to subdue the threat. He asked her to surrender at once.

The woman complied, as the scimitar's tip touched her back. Aasaa was poised to strike, having got the jump on her. Furthermore, his projected weapon contained formidable power. Already, its edge radiated mana, ready to quash any resistance.

_While a hero must be kind, they must not hold back in the face of danger._

Aasaa's apartment was protected by an elaborate mechanism. An Illusion spell activated the moment the woman breached the door. This fine piece of Magecraft stood as a testament to his mother's, Rin Tohsaka's magical prowess.

Aasaa held the scimitar in his hands as he ordered her to restrain herself. She locked the magical cuffs on her own. He would not do anything to her, for she had already surrendered. Aasaa then settled down beside her, ensuring she was stable before proceeding to question her.

Aasaa knew he had no choice but to report her. Relief swept him when the woman gave no further resistance. It turned out someone forced her to carry out the mission, admitting that another magus within the Clocktower blackmailed her. His name began with an 'I', though her words were interrupted before she could fully pronounce the name.

As she confessed, a bomb at the back of her head revealed itself, its lethal payload counting down to detonation. No larger than a fist, it resembled a golden box. White cracks formed on its glittery surface, emitting malevolent rays of light as the fuse burned away. The woman realized her folly. With the slip of an inexperienced tongue, she had revealed too much information. "I will explode in 12 seconds. Run!"

Aasaa could not run. Before him stood someone, whose life hung by a thread, mere seconds from an explosive end. To run for cover and leave her to her fate would go against his heroic code. He could not allow her to die like this, as the victim of another's schemes. Those who made use of the weak sickened him.

Aasaa grabbed the bomb and overloaded its signal with mana. He detached it from her and used his scimitar to destroy it before it exploded. Holding the broken bomb in his hands, its torn wires, dead fuse, and loose parts now rattling uselessly, he cut the woman free.

Handing his attempted murderer, a drink, he could not help but feel sympathy for her. Her past actions mattered no more to him. In his eyes, she was a victim forced by an unknown evil to kill, or face death.

Anger filled Aasaa. Anger at the cold, cruel ways of magi who would stop at nothing to achieve their goals. Chest burning, the desire to become a hero flared in his thoughts. He swore he would investigate further and immerse himself in the evil plot unfolding around him. After all, if he wanted to become a hero, he had to bring justice on those responsible.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: The Helsinki Grail**

"Aasaa, we're home," Rin called out from the living room, as the front door clicked shut behind her and Shirou.

Aasaa stepped out of the workshop, into the light of the living room. A red carpet covered the floor, a touch added by Rin, who liked the colour. The lights shone upon his magus clothes. Inspired by Archer Emiya in the Fifth Grail War, he wore a black turtle-neck and jeans under a red trench-coat. He greeted his parents and explained the situation. Not long after, a team of magi arrived and escorted the woman away for further questioning. A magus named Iri'schol apologized to them for the safety breach and assigned 3 sentry magi to guard their apartment outside.

"Very impressive, Aasaa Emiya," Iris'chol smiled, shaking his hand almost forcefully. "You live up to your mother's reputation as a member of the Tohsaka family." Aasaa accepted the praise, responding to Iris'chol's exaggerated praise with bewildered nodding.

After further discussions, Iris'chol bid the farewell and left, leaving behind the 3 sentry magi. Aasaa eyed his movements. Something seemed off about Iris'chol to him. Since the attempted ambush from the woman, Aasaa had made sure to be more cautious when dealing with the inhabitants of the Clocktower.

Aasaa rested his left arm on the light-brown wall. His parents had chosen this shade as it most resembled their home in Fuyuki. He had just started to drift off in his own thoughts when he felt a tap on his shoulder. It was his father, Shirou. "The woman was connected to what Lord El-Melloi The Second tried to tell us at the meeting. It's time I told you what happened."

"Yes Dad?" Aasaa turned around, eager to hear about the Grail Wars. Rin had joined the conversation as well, after making certain no one eavesdropped on them.

Aasaa's eyes fell upon Shirou's grim countenance. He stood rigidly and seemed to be filled with unease. Rin displayed a similar expression. Whatever happened during the meeting, Aasaa sensed it had ended poorly.

"Lord El-Melloi The Second collapsed during the meeting, and died soon after-"

"Wait, how did he die?" interrupted Aasaa, the news of his death shaking him.

"A powerful magus cursed him, Rin said. Her dejected tone told Aasaa that the curse outstripped her abilities to lift. Whoever used it posed a great threat, even to her.

Shirou closed his eyes as his arms folded. Taking a sigh, he continued, "in his final moments, he entrusted us with a mission."

"What mission?" Aasaa looked up, leaning forward to show his eagerness to contribute.

"He revealed to us the existence of another Grail-"

Aasaa interrupted, "Another Grail?"

Shirou revealed that Lord El-Melloi The Second had discovered a false Grail in Helsinki 34 years ago. He relocated it beneath Helsinki Old Church where it was placed under the protection of a group of magi allied with him. The magi named it the Helsinki Grail. With Lord El-Melloi The Second's permission, they used its power to summon a Servant to help him watch over the Helsinki Grail.

"Why would he do that?" Aasaa wondered. "Why not destroy it? Like the Holy Grail in Fuyuki?"

"This Grail proved to be too unstable to destroy. Lord El-Melloi The Second tried everything. In the end, he could only contain it."

"If one Servant has been summoned, where are the others?" Aasaa asked.

"Lord El-Melloi The Second restricted the Helsinki Grail's mana, using powerful leylines under Helsinki Old Church." Shirou sighed. He never expected to face another Grail War ever since what happened in Fuyuki. "We fear these restrictions could be undone, now that Lord El-Melloi The Second is dead."

"Just who is guarding the Helsinki Grail there?"

"Someone named Hannes Ludvik, and his Servant, Simo Häyhä, an Assassin. He commands an entire organization devoted to this task," Rin answered.

"I see, since he is the only one with a Servant, the Helsinki Grail is well protected, as a Servant can defeat many magi easily," Aasaa said. With a Servant on their side, they had the advantage.

"When Lord El-Melloi The Second ended the Holy Grail Wars, his actions angered many within the Clocktower. His death means that these magi are planning on restoring the Grail Wars." Shirou's face tensed as he spoke of imminent threat.

"So, these magi have a plan to find the Helsinki Grail, bypass the Servant protecting it, and start a full-blown Grail War," Aasaa said.

"Correct. A Grail War would be devastating, and we must prevent it. In two days, I will be going to Helsinki to help Hannes guard the Helsinki Grail. Your mother will remain in the Clocktower to weed out conspirators."

"No Shirou, I need you with me to handle things here. We discussed this just now."

"I am not sending Aasaa to Helsinki. It's too dangerous."

Aasaa's eyes lit up at the prospect of him being involved in the Grail Wars. He leaped at the idea of participating, refusing to pass up the chance to become a hero.

Aasaa no longer rested his hand on the wall. The normally laid-back man suggested several ideas, and offered reasonable deductions and speculations. He had the calibre to contribute to their mission, and his mother seemed to agree. Rin restated her confidence in him to Shirou, who maintained his protective stance, insisting that no one but him needed to risk their lives. Aasaa could not let go of his chance to do something meaningful for once. He stood his ground, determined to convince his father. A task of monumental difficulty, as said father had a history of insisting he fought in the place of Servants to protect them.

"Father, I'll be fine. I trained my whole life to become a hero like you. This is a mission I've always dreamed of."

A rush of adrenaline and excitement filled his chest. This felt right to him, he had been made for this task. However, Aasaa was not completely reckless. Safety and ensuring his parents did not worry about him also concerned him, although there still overshadowed by realizing his dream.

"It's not safe, I can't send my son to battle. If you die, I will never forgive myself," Shirou said.

"Shirou, you put your life on the line countless times in the Fifth Holy Grail War, even when you were an untrained magus. Aasaa is more than equipped for this mission, knowing both Projection and Jewel Magecraft. Please, I need you to handle the Mage's Association and their crooked politics."

"I can't allow him to go, this is final. End of debate. Son, let me and your mother discuss how to best protect the Helsinki Grail."

"You want to prevent another Grail War but won't use all at your disposal. Gosh Shirou, you are a living contradiction." Exasperation filled Rin's voice as she spoke.

For a moment, Aasaa's face lit up with a smile at his mother's comment. He waited momentarily for a change in Shirou's heart. When it did not come, he dragged his feet and took his leave.

He had come so close. As he left his parents, he scolded himself for not trying hard enough, rethinking the encounter again and again, wondering how he could have made a stronger argument. Well, certainly his chance would come back, as his mother seemed to be on his side. He vowed to prove his worthiness beyond all doubt the next chance he got.

"Please, this mission requires more than the two of us," Rin reached her hand out to Shirou. "You are worried not for yourself, but for the safety of others. You fear that by involving more people, they too will get hurt."

Shirou folded his arms, remaining silent. She pressed further, "The two of us can not accomplish this, and if we fail, the consequences would be devastating. So please, agree to sending Aasaa."

"Shelve the idea first. Who else can we involve? How about Shinji and Sakura?" Shirou turned to Rin, hoping for her permission as Sakura was her sister. They had reconnected several decades ago, after Zouken died. That monster's dreams of immortality shrivelled away when Lord El-Melloi The Second dismantled the Fuyuki Holy Grail.

"I don't think Shinji would make a very good ally, judging by his lack of Magic Circuits and his personality. And Sakura-"

A lump formed at Rin's throat, as memories of the unspeakable horrors her sister suffered while living with the Matous resurfaced. She would never be able to think about another Crest Worm without flushing with sadness, pity and anger. How her she survived for so long both impressed and horrified her.

"I understand," Shirou replied. "We can't send her into another Grail War, we can't let her suffer again." He stared as his feet, before apologizing to her. "Once this is over, we will pay her a long overdue visit."

"It's alright," Rin said. "In truth, with all that's been going on recently, I've not been as close to Sakura as I should."

Sakura had elected to live in Fuyuki with Shinji under Shirou and Rin's protection. They had decided it was best if they excluded themselves from magus society.

In the end, Shirou had to settle for Aasaa, just as Rin proposed. To her credit, Aasaa's talent in Magecraft and knowledge of the Grail Wars made him a capable fighter, and they needed manpower. No matter, he could not bring himself to accept the idea of sending Aasaa to fight. Even if he wanted it, Shirou could not allow it.

"Look, if we fail, the world could be thrust into chaos. How will we protect him then?"

"He's our son-"

"We are already targets. Our enemies are watching us. Aasaa is capable, and a lot lower in profile."

"You're right." Shirou paused, straining to reply. "But as a parent, this is wrong."

"If we sent him without a care for his safety, we would certainly be horrible parents. But we won't. We will prepare him with everything we got and secure him every protection possible." Rin bit her lip as she spoke. She struck an uneasy balance between strategising to handle an unknown threat and carrying out her duty as a parent.

"He can help," Shirou finally said, voice filled with uncertainty.

Rin noticed Shirou's unease. Her brows quivered with concern. She approached Shirou, trying to assure him, and asked, "Is everything alright?"

"I still feel that this is the wrong thing to do." Shirou shifted his weight around, as if he had been cornered.

"We named him after Saber, our invaluable ally in the Grail War, and a great friend. We hoped our son would share her values, and he does." Rin tried to keep her voice steady as she spoke, her eyes feeling moist. She paused, stifling a crack in her voice as her emotions rumbled like a storm. Deciding to send Aasaa became harder by the second.

"I just hoped it wouldn't come to this." Shirou looked into Rin's eyes. He felt her pain. More still, he understood her conflict.

"Saber wouldn't allow herself to be made to do nothing when the world is threatened. Neither would Aasaa. He grew up on stories about the Grail Wars, and Heroic Spirits. He looks up to them." Rin held Shirou's hand. "And to you, the Hero of Justice."

"Rin-" Shirou gripped her hand, the warmth of his fingers giving her some comfort. "I'm not a hero. I did everything to compensate for how lucky I was to be rescued from the Great Fuyuki Fire."

"In his eyes, you're the bravest person who ever lived. He will be safe. He will treasure this experience and achieve his dreams." The thought of Aasaa achieving his goals replaced Rin's fears with a warm, glowing pride. She wanted him to get what he wanted.

Shirou paced around the living room, and he smiled as his gaze fell on a picture of them as a family having a meal together. The next picture displayed Aasaa's first Projection, only 8 years old then. His eyes glowed with excitement and pride as he beheld his creation. Shirou could not help but grin at his son's magical prowess. Even at a young age, he demonstrated his determination to become a hero. He now looked at a picture of Aasaa posing beside a statue of King Arthur in Cornwall, England, pledging to be as heroic the Once and Future King. Shirou picked this picture up, holding it tightly with both hands as he stared at it. Two heroes stared back at him.

He took the picture from its frame and slipped it into his pocket. Hand still in his pocket as he walked past the family workshop, Shirou paused to check on his son. Aasaa stood above a pile of gemstones on the table, infusing them with magic. On another table, 14 projected weapons rested on a layer of cloth.

Aasaa pretended not to notice his father, letting his deeds speak for him. As his father watched, he became more motivated than ever. He scooped up the infused gemstones and placed them in his waist pouch. He had just made a batch of several explosive, 1 spell cancelling and 1 eye-golem gemstone, a new variant he invented with tigers-eye gems. The gemstones clinked around in his pouch, as they joined the numerous others within. The bag would have cost the family a few tens of millions of yen, if not for Aasaa projecting the gemstones out of thin air.

Shirou walked away, smiling. Seeing his son working tirelessly pleased him. It reminded him of how he, in his early days as a magus, would practice Reinforcement late into the night. He did so, even though he knew how exhausted he would be the next day. His exhaustion mattered little if it meant he could call upon Reinforcement to help others. Aasaa had inherited that same desire. Recalling how he insisted on helping others, even when severely outmatched, Shirou decided he would not deny Aasaa the chance to help.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Seal of Approval **

Shirou headed to the kitchen with his ingredients and laid them out on the marble table.

He paused for a while, recalling the exact steps to prepare this from his youth. He smiled as he remembered the warmth of eating with a household. Thoughts of Taiga praising his cooking and Saber devouring her eighth serving filled his head. He would give anything to return to those days. Deciding that the next best thing was having a lovely meal with his family, he got started.

Aasaa entered the kitchen, curious about Shirou was preparing for dinner. He walked barefooted, his feet leaving behind faint smudges on the cream coloured marble floor as he made his way around.

"Father, what are you preparing?"

Shirou turned to his son and replied, his cutting technique seamless as he spoke, "Udon in Dashi soup with Kamaboko (fish cake), Gyoza, Chicken Karaage (Fried Chicken), Yaki Onigiri (Grilled Rice Balls), and Miso flavoured pickled vegetables. Just a simple meal, my more elaborate dishes will take too long."

He was ecstatic. Nothing could surpass Shirou's food, unlike his though. Hopeless could not begin to describe it, as he could not, for the life of him, do anything right when it came to cooking.

"Well, I would help, but as we all know, when I'm involved, the kitchen runs the risk of burning down," chuckled Aasaa, as he turned to leave. "I'll tell mother, I bet she's hungry for Udon too."

Shirou smiled. He told Aasaa to complete a simple step: Boil the Udon noodles.

Taking the Udon, Aasaa froze, his veins filling with trepidation. He had failed doing simpler things before. To assure himself, he placed his left hand on his chest and took a breath, planning his next move with more mental power than what he used to make his scimitar.

What followed next was a catastrophe. Aasaa found himself cleaning a mixture of Udon and water off the floor. A pot sat upside down a meter away. He had used the wrong stove, one with too small a base. When he stirred the udon with a wooden spoon, the whole thing to tumbled over. Shirou watched his son cleaning from behind, fighting against the impulse to laugh. Smiling, he decided that some things never change, and prepared a fresh batch of Udon and resumed cooking. Aasaa tidied up and apologized before leaving with cheeks redder than his trench-coat.

Aasaa told himself that his mother need not know about the incident, or she might re-evaluate his ability to go to Finland. Giving his recent disaster more thought, he placed it in the 'List of Aasaa's cooking failures', a term his mother had come up with a few years back after he somehow ruined a simple salad.

Besides the minor fiasco, the next two hours passed by without anything significant. Soon, the Emiya Family found themselves greeted by the aroma of the scrumptious food when they came for dinner. The fragrance of the Dashi Udon mixed with the faint vinegary scent of the pickled vegetables caused Aasaa's mouth to water as he eyed the delicacies before him. Most of them were rather simple dishes. Yet, his father could make them exquisite delights.

"Dad, this is amazing," Aasaa said. "I can't wait to try the Udon."

"Come everyone, it's great to eat together as a family once in a while." Shirou invited them to take a seat.

"Correction. It's great to eat Shirou's food together as a family once in a while," Rin said, poised to help herself to the udon.

"I wouldn't mind it being more often than "once in a while"," said Aasaa, eyes not leaving the food, his stomach rumbling.

The dining room was a far cry from the traditional Japanese setting back in Fuyuki, where they ate on a low-lying table seated on cushions placed on a tatami floor. Here, they sat on a higher table with chairs. It was not Aasaa's first time living at the Clocktower, and he heard the familiar creak of his chair as he sat. With everyone ready, their hands cleaned, Shirou gave the gesture for them to tuck in.

Before he could begin, Aasaa heard them. A flurry of footsteps and hushed whispers. It came from right outside their apartment. His ears picked up a faint channelling sound while mana saturated the air, reeking of cruelty and deceit.

The door shuddered, thin cracks appeared on the walls. Shirou had risen from his seat, Kanshou and Bakuya were in his hands. Rin had her gemstones at the ready.

"Aasaa, I want you to run to the workshop, and grab Caladbolg from my wall," Shirou said. "We are under attack." He stared at the growing cracks in the wall, calculating his next moves as the wall shuddered, collapse imminent. A fight had come. He was prepared to face it head on to protect his family.

The door exploded, shattering into a shower of splinters. The cracks in the walls deepened as it caved, spraying powder and debris. The smell of plaster masked the food. Minute particles of dust glinted as they floated in the air, revealed by the ceiling lights above. Standing before Shirou and Rin were the 3 sentry magi, supposedly stationed there for their protection. One had an outstretched hand, glowing blue, hinting that he had torn down the door. The other two had not summoned their Magecraft yet.

As he ran to the workshop, Aasaa realized that the sentry magi were likely up to something. They were the only ones outside. This was Round Two, and whoever wanted them dead was not going to give up so easily. A fizzling sound could be heard, signalling the deactivation of the Illusion spell that trapped the woman earlier. These magi were evidently more experienced.

"You will not leave the Clocktower," the leader raised his glowing blue hand.

Aasaa emerged from the workshop. In his hands held Caladbolg, one of Shirou's prized weapons, a twisted sword. He tossed it to his parents and unsheathed the scimitar he projected earlier.

"Projection Magecraft. We can take them, they are nothing," the magus to the right of the leader said.

"We are facing a Tohsaka, remain vigilant," the magus to the left warned.

"The magus in the centre is using a variation of Ehwaz, to harden his hands," Rin explained to Aasaa. As she said that, the leader charged at Shirou, his fist swirling with bluish magic. It pulsed with mana, and one touch from it would shatter bone.

The leader charged at Shirou, his glowing fist flailing at inhuman speeds. It struck a wall, carved a gaping hole in it. Shirou eyed the damage caused, deciding that even if he reinforced his clothes with magic, he would not come out unscathed. After striking at Shirou directly proved unsuccessful as Shirou's movements were too skilled, the leader plunged his fist into the ground and created a tremor that rushed towards Shirou, knocking him off balance. The leader pounced at Shirou, fist ready to strike, declaring he had won.

What followed proved him wrong. Shirou considered activating his shield, Rho Aias, though he deemed revealing one of his trump cards to be a mistake. Instead, he sidestepped the attack. The leader crashed his fist into the ground, sending fragments of flooring flying through the air in a dusty cloud that coated the combatants' clothes in a thin layer of powdered plaster. Shirou coughed and decided to retaliate.

Shirou opened a gap in his defences, which the leader decided to exploit. When he attacked through Shirou's gap in his defence, Shirou countered at lightning speed and the leader found his hand trapped in a deadlock. Shirou had deliberately opened the gap in his defences, a signature trick he picked up from Archer Emiya. With Kanshou, he slashed him on the back, ripping through his cloak and causing his blood to pour out. Not wasting a moment, Shirou pressed the advantage and followed with a kick aimed at his kneecap, which twisted into an awkward position, cracking as a result. The leader let out a haggard scream and fell to the ground, writhing in agony.

"Don't look," the right magus said. "I am using an ancient technique."

"Go ahead," the left magus turned away, shielding his eyes with his arm.

The right magus' eyes glowed yellow, releasing a wave of energy. He aimed it at Shirou, whose body became paralysed, mid-attack. His victim struggled to move but could only grunt. The right magus tried to target her next. Catching Shirou off guard had emboldened him had assured him of his victory.

"Petrification Magecraft? No one's seen that for centuries!" Rin said.

"Gandr!" She said, her hand forming the shape of a gun. The right magus did not back down, ignoring the incoming attack as his petrification approached Rin, edging ever closer.

Rin's spell hit first. Hazy orbs sprayed at him, each one the size of a golf ball. They burst on contact, creating rippling shock waves that launched him into the wall where he crashed hard and knocked out a small crater. The right magus coughed as the blast had knocked the wind out of his lungs.

Beside them, the left magus fought Aasaa with six golems with the form of wolves, made from the rubble of the destroyed wall and doorway. Aasaa leaped over the first one as it charged at him, baying its fangs. It was now behind him. He pushed his scimitar backwards and stabbed the first wolf in the mouth, killing it.

Two more rushed at him while he dealt with the first. In retaliation, he fired projected swords at them. They found their mark, reducing those wolves to piles of rock. Aasaa sprinted forward, scimitar in his right hand. With his free hand, he projected another sword. Now dual wielding, he made a double slash at the left magus, who retreated behind his last 3 wolves.

"Not bad," the left magus said as Aasaa's feet clapped on the ground, the scimitar narrowly missing its mark. Aasaa cursed as he had failed to take down his foe, and now had to retreat, correctly sensing an imminent counter-attack.

The leader regained his footing while Shirou was paralysed. Rin tried to bring him down him with gemstones. In response, he used his reinforced fist to absorb two explosive ones before he stumbled over, his foot now encased in ice by a third gemstone. Rin finished him off with another blast from Gandr, sending him to the ground, where one more shot from Gandr knocked him unconscious.

The right magus emerged from the crater in the wall. His head twisted in an unnatural position as he activated his Petrification ability again.

"Death to those who seek to prevent the Grail Wars. Death to all who oppose Sircolia!" Mania overcame him. Blood oozed from several wounds. His contorted features indicated that he flushed with in severe pain, and yet he advanced, compelled by an unnatural fervour.

Rin avoided the petrification with a spell-cancelling gemstone. She followed up with Gandr. The right magus reacted accordingly, despite his wounded state and created a forcefield.

Aasaa continued to use his scimitar to fight the wolves. He had chopped off the lower jaw of the fourth one, and chipped off half the head of the fifth.

_These things are quite fragile, at this rate, he will run out of wolves_

Aasaa sprinted forward, and scored a shallow cut on the left magus' thigh. Bringing his palm to his wound, the left magus swore retribution. Voice tempered with rage, he responded by casting a spell on his remaining wolves.

"Combine!" the left magus ordered his creation.

The 3 wolves formed a 3-headed abomination, the rubble they were composed of coalesced into one entity. As it made its way towards Aasaa, it picked up more rubble lying on the ground, adding them to its growing body.

Aasaa recognized the incoming threat. Testing its defences, the created several cheap Projections, and threw them at the stony beast. The swords clashed against the golem's skin and bounced off. The golem did not even flinch and opened its rocky jaws to reveal rows of jagged teeth, made from sharp bits of rubble.

Eyes widening as he realized he had only succeeded in angering it, Aasaa poured more mana into a stronger Projection. Before he finished projecting, the golem made its move. It rushed at Aasaa, ripping at his left foot. Aasaa abandoned his Projection in order to dodge. The golem followed him and wrapped its jaws around his foot before biting down. Blood oozed from the gash, as stone teeth ripped fabric and pierced flesh. Aasaa pulled his foot away, wincing in pain. He clutched the wound to staunch the flow. Casting the pain aside, he vowed not to be bested by a mere bite and launched projected swords at the abomination, keeping his distance as he did.

"I have you cornered. Your feeble Projections are a waste of talent," the left magus declared. He raised his fist and commanded his golem to be more aggressive.

Aasaa analysed the structure of the golem. He noticed its disproportionately thin legs, a flaw in the design. To test his theory, he whipped out his scimitar and slide past the golem, slashing at one of its feet.

Solid steel struck rubble, the former carving through the later. Aasaa had discovered a weak-point, his eyes lighting up, readying the perfect follow up to bring down the behemoth the face. The golem had in fact absorbed so much rubble that its size impaired its movements. Lumbering and tripping, it struggled to turn around as Aasaa projected four more swords and fired them at each of its legs.

The swords found their way into the golem's legs. Crippled, the golem struggled to continue chasing Aasaa, who darted around its jaws and prepared to land the finishing blow.

Meanwhile, the left magus tried to assist his golem. Aasaa tossed an explosive gemstone to knock him back, aiming to keep him separated from his golem.

Now, he turned to face the golem. It twisted and turned, snapping its jaws madly at him, barking and snarling. He followed up by driving his scimitar right into its gaping maw. It howled and shuddered before falling silent. Thinking it defeated, he approached it. The abomination roared to life again, nearly tearing his face off. He dodged to the right, before throwing an explosive gemstone to blast away its head.

Even without a significant portion of its head, the golem continued to flail. Aasaa raised his scimitar, darted to the side of its head, and drove the blade in, twisting it as it dug its way into the golem. Suffering a lethal attack, it crumbled and died. The left magus raised his hands to surrender.

Things were going well for Rin and Shirou too. She had undone the paralysis on him, and now he bore down on the right magus, overwhelming him with a torrent of strikes from Kanshou and Bakuya. The right magus fought to the death. It culminated in him being stabbed by Rin who had picked up Caladbolg from the floor. He slumped over, the light fading from his eyes as a red circle grew around the stab wound. His twitched a little and made a gurgling sound before he expired.

The leader was still alive, though unconscious and wounded in multiple areas. The left magus had escaped without any major injuries, as he opted to surrender. Shirou bound to a chair to prevent his escape.

Aasaa sat nearby, shaken by the attempt on his family's life. It had only been hours since they returned with Lord El-Melloi The Second's mission. Nothing was certain, besides the fact that there were magi out there who wanted the Holy Grail, and they would kill for it. He watched his father approach the left magus to question him. Shirou's body tensed, his eyes held an intensity only reserved for those who had earned his ire. His mouth formed a thin slit as he asked the magus.

"Who sent you?"

"Sircolia," he said. "We do not know his Family name. He tasked us with killing anyone found in your apartment."

"How did you attack us? There are wards in the Clocktower to prevent fighting," Shirou said.

"I know why." Rin examined the hallway. "The wards on this level were recently deactivated. Within the last hour."

"Sircolia must be a high-ranking magus in the Clocktower, and he desires a Grail War. We are the last ones with information on Lord El-Melloi The Second's mission, making us his target." Shirou pressed the magus, looking into his eyes with a gaze of fire.

Admitting defeat, the left magus confessed. Several Clocktower magi arrived to take away the magi. The left magus cooperated. Apparently, someone bribed him into conducting the attack. His leader remained unconscious.

Iri'schol appeared again. This time he appeared frantic. Shirou and Rin explained to him not to trust his own men. Iri'schol received a tirade from Rin, who tore at him with piercing words over how his sentries almost killed her family. Shirou and Aasaa knew better than to say anything, as once Rin got mad, the only suitable course of action was to hide until the storm blows over.

Nodding his head in apology, he promised to conduct a full investigation, and root out any others within his ranks that were secretly with Sircolia. He told them of his intent to resign once the investigation concluded, as he could not be let off the hook for such abysmal security. This appeased Rin.

Iri'schol and the other magi were joined by a trustworthy member from House El-Melloi who came to take charge of the situation from him. Barely satisfying Rin with elaborate assurances of safety, the new in-charge finished the investigation and left.

"Father, what do I do now?" Aasaa asked.

Shirou remained silent. He turned to his son, who stood firm and tall. His leg no longer hurt, the wound had already healed by one of Rin's healing gemstones.

Aasaa realized the severity of the situation. Their enemies were mobilizing, and it could only escalate from here.

_I must play a role in this. Father and mother need help, the fate of many depends on what we do now. _

"Do you still want to go? This is far more dangerous than I thought," Shirou said.

"I must act, because it is so dangerous. I cannot walk away while innocent people die."

Shirou expected nothing less from his son, though he still did not fully accept sending Aasaa to fight.

"Aasaa, I know how much being a hero means to you. You want to help, and feel guilt when people tell you not to. I won't stop you because I've been in your position, and I couldn't take no for an answer either." With both hands, Shirou passed the picture to Aasaa.

Aasaa picked up the picture, remembering the day he declared to the statue of King Arthur that he would be heroic like him. He examined it now, the statue of King Arthur was inaccurate, King Arthur was actually King Artoria, a woman. Nevertheless, this fact did not detract from how awe-inspiring the statue was. It embodied heroism, as it stood on its large pedestal, sword ready, watching over the people of Britain. In the picture, Aasaa posed beside it, as a child, minuscule in comparison, yet in his eyes thrived a determination of equal impressiveness.

Aasaa held the picture. His face lit up with the light of a new day, realizing that he got his chance. Collecting himself, he knew then that he would soon fulfil what he declared to King Arthur's statue. Now, he felt grateful to his parents, bowing his head and promising to give it his all. He thanked his parents for gifting him a noble dream and the ability to seek it. Shirou and Rin smiled encouragingly, placing their confidence in their son.

After everyone had finished cleaning and repairing their apartment, Shirou contacted Hannes using a communicator, like those used by Kiritsugu, his adoptive father in the Fourth Holy Grail War.

Hannes provided a status update from Helsinki before discussing the circumstances regarding his passing.

"Greetings Aasaa, the situation in Helsinki is stable, although my associates are monitoring a magus who crossed from the Russian border. From their travel route, this magus appears to be heading towards Helsinki despite the ban. It is likely he or she seeks the Helsinki Grail."

"Don't forget 'The Second'," Rin muttered.

Hannes chuckled lightly. He and Lord El-Melloi The Second were close friends. He sighed, as his tone turned heavy, reminded of his passing.

Hannes spoke English, which Shirou and Rin had to learn when they first visited the Clocktower shortly after the Fifth Holy Grail War. He proficient enough to mask his Finnish roots almost entirely. Aasaa took note of how his initial interactions were cold, hardly displaying any emotion, almost report-like. Though he spoke quickly, his words were inter-spaced with short pauses where he would choose his words. That said, they quickly grew acquainted, and the conversation transitioned to being more informal. Soon, Hannes began to speak conversationally, spicing the interactions with the occasional joke.

Aasaa vowed to make a good first impression. If Hannes was to be his partner in Finland, he had to earn a good first impression.

"Hannes, may I know more about you?" Aasaa asked. "What exactly is your duty in Helsinki? I think it will help me with fulfilling my role when I go there."

Hannes revealed that he and his associates desire only the protection of the Helsinki Grail, and the nation of Finland. With the help of Simo Häyhä, their Assassin Servant, they keep a close watch over Finland.

"Why are you defending the Helsinki Grail?" Shirou asked. He listened to Hannes with Rin's conversation, comparing his information with what Lord El-Melloi The Second had provided them.

Hannes explained in vivid detail and concluded with a boasting 34 years of flawless service.

"That's enough for now, we may proceed," Rin said, satisfied with his explanation, which fit into the information Lord El-Melloi The Second had given them.

They briefed Aasaa on the situation in full. Aasaa's job involved meeting Hannes in Helsinki and assisting in defending the Helsinki Grail. Meanwhile, Shirou and Rin would search the Clocktower for conspirators. Once they were weeded out, Aasaa could return from Finland. Hannes explained further. The Helsinki Grail mysteriously activated in 2017. Lord El-Melloi The Second discovered it early, and restricted its mana to only 1 Servant. Apparently, the Helsinki Grail sat hidden and dormant for an unknown period of time. Upon further inspection, they realized the Helsinki Grail would create a Grail War for 8 Servants.

Hannes explained Aasaa's role further, which dismayed him as there were no plans for him to fight. Thus, they only needed Aasaa to come over and be ready to provide backup in case more magi showed up.

"Essentially, the probability of me fighting is insignificant. I know it may seem impolite of me to say it, but I was looking forward to a chance to prove my worth," Aasaa said.

"The current situation is a lone magus travelling to Helsinki. We have handled this before. However, this magus is travelling to Helsinki despite the well-known fact that magi who go searching for the Helsinki Grail ended up dead by my Servant's hands," Hannes said.

"Which means this magus is either foolish or capable of overcoming your defences," Aasaa concluded.

"It is highly unlikely that a magus can defeat our Servant, when he is in his native land. Thus, it is probably the former. While we are confident in our ability to handle this, your assistance is still welcome," Hannes said.

They adjourned. After ending the call, the three of them reviewed their plans, before retiring for the night. Aasaa got up from his seat, yawning. They planned for Aasaa to travel to Helsinki in 2 days' time.

"Are you sleeping with that red trench-coat on?" Rin asked as Aasaa entered his room.

"Yea, makes me think of Archer," Aasaa said, reclining on his bed.

Rin grinned at her son's eccentric behaviour. Emulating a Heroic Spirit was such an Aasaa thing to do.

After Aasaa had dozed off, Shirou and Rin pulled out several artefacts, relics of Shirou's travels. They found one which could serve as a catalyst for an Archer Servant.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: What Lurks in The Shadows **

**(Misa Sajyou's Perspective) **

One week before Lord El-Melloi The Second's passing:

Sircolia Wodime addressed his fellow conspirators:

Fezgrem vor Sembren, son of Instructor Feend vor Sembren.

Bram Nuada-Re Sophia-Ri, brother of Sola-Ui Nuada-Re Sophia-Ri.

Misa Sajyou, daughter of Ayaka Sajyou.

They gathered in Sircolia's workshop, a large circular room with coarse black tiles. The room's air caused the 3 conspirators to shiver. At its centre, stood a table with items concealed in fabric. The 3 magi positioned themselves in front and at the two sides of the table, facing Sircolia, a middle-aged magus with flowing brown hair. He wore a cloak, long pants and sported a cape, all white, with gold accents. His yellow pupils scanned past his followers, not paying much attention to them, only to note the attention they paid him.

"My plans to restore the Grail Wars are going along nicely. Soon, you may have your wish granted by the power of the Helsinki Grail."

A murmur of agreement rose from the followers.

"Lord El-Melloi The Second is one foot in the grave, thanks to my lethal curse. Once I snuff the geezer's life out, we will have a window to act." The confident middle-aged man announced, unbothered by his admission to the direct involvement in the murder of a Lord.

"Fine work Sir, not even a Lord can stop us now." Bram Nuada-Re grinned, praising Sircolia, who paid little heed to his follower's comment.

"You did what? How and why?" Misa gaped in shock by the revelation. Up to this point, she assumed they only planned to deceive Lord El-Melloi The Second. Her morals would not stand for cold-blooded murder. She moved towards Sircolia, intending to protest. Such behaviour corrupted the Holy Grail War's noble origins of magi seeking the True Magic. The once noble Holy Grail Wars had devolved into a battle-royale due to such selfish and evil behaviour. She understood why Lord El-Melloi The Second dismantled the Greater Grail. However, she had a wish to fulfill, and thus she joined the effort to restore the Grail Wars.

"I thought you wanted to begin a new era where the Grail Wars were more honourable and sporting, cleansed of its ruthless and bloodthirsty aspects?" Misa asked.

Sircolia turned to address her, his cape flowing behind him, printed on it his Family's insignia, a mantle he wore with pride. His attire paid respects to his late father, Kirschtaria, whose greatness and divine goal he sought to embody. He made a gesture with his gloved hands, ready to answer Misa when Bram Nuada-Re spoke.

"Hold your tongue Misa. Do not question the leader's methods." An infuriated Bram Nuada-Re raised his palm at her.

"I'm just shocked. But then-" Misa stuttered, trying to string her thoughts together.

"Silence, you will do as the leader says. You're the most junior here."

"That's enough Bram Nuada-Re. Do not speak for me. If my ally has doubts, I will be much obliged to allay them. Misa, please continue." Sircolia said. He spoke without a stutter, his impeccable delivery carried no doubt. He spoke with the clarity of one who rehearsed his words beforehand.

Misa nodded, thanking him for being accommodating. To her, he gave off an understanding, nurturing presence similar to a respected mentor. She met him over 10 years ago, after her parents died. Since then, he never failed to make her feel important, always giving her hope for a better existence. In fact, he inspired her to Master what little Magecraft she knew, having failed to inherit her parent's circuits before they died. She felt his warmth now as he backed her against Bram Nuada-Re, who knew nothing but cold and ruthless fanaticism.

He placed a reassuring hand on Misa's shoulder, affirming to everyone he wanted their goals to be realized. Misa's shorter stature meant Sircolia needed to bend down, his white cape brushing against the ground, except it did not, as Sircolia used Magecraft to levitate it off the ground. Sircolia looked into Misa's topaz eyes, eyes that avoided the gaze of the powerful or domineering, though they made an exception for him. Short, curled, bangs of light-brown hair obscured her twitchy eyes. He looked for signs of her concealing anything. The innocent, rosy face hid nothing. Her smallish nose sniffed, the tiniest bit uneasy at Sircolia's stare. He sensed this and backed off, appearing apologetic. Misa adjusted her shoulder-length hair and brushed her shoulder where Sircolia touched her. Her pinkish fingernails scraped against the jacket she wore, coloured to match white chocolate, her favourite food.

"Sir," Misa finally said, "You tasked me with acquiring over a dozen materials, for placing Lord El-Melloi The Second in a confused trance. Why did you commit such a heinous crime? What will the Mage's Association do?"

Misa's fingers touched the necklace she wore, where a small pendant glowed with a faint light. Anxiety brewed in her as she realized her involvement in the murder. The light in her necklace lit her hand up, its gentle rays calming Misa down. She liked its light. After her parents died, Sircolia recruited her and trained her in light manipulation, her only Magecraft. The light she cast resembled her only hope, in a lonely life filled with uncertainty. As an orphan, she lit her own path, lest be lost in darkness.

"I intended to place him in a trance. Alas, he outsmarted me, and forced me to use a lethal curse." Sircolia paused, making sure no one disbelieved him, before continuing.

"My curse prevents the victim from speaking about the curse directly, which should slow the investigation. I'm sorry. I will bear the full burden of this crime." Sircolia finished, waiting for questions from his followers.

Misa accepted the explanation, trusting him since he treated her kindly during the few times they closely interacted. She knew him as someone who always did what he needed to do, regardless of the cost. She admired his courage to do so. Sircolia had absolutely no choice but to kill the Lord.

"The fact you committed murder still haunts me," she said.

"We are magi, though regrettable, such things do happen." Bram Nuada-Re looked at her with distaste. "Grow up."

Bram Nuada-Re lost his sister almost sixty years ago, during the Fourth Grail War. Now, the elderly magus sought to achieve greatness after living in mediocrity for so long. He became Sircolia's right-hand man, giving up his Family's Magecraft to learn what Sircolia wanted him to. Weaker magi gravitated towards stronger ones for protection. Sircolia found his loyalty useful, except when he overdid it.

"The despicable act committed by me will hang on my conscience for long. I assure you it won't happen again. Now, we really must get on with our plans. Are you still in?" Sircolia inquired.

Misa nodded, and reaffirmed her loyalty to Sircolia.

"Let us carry on," Sircolia said. "Now for the reason we are here. Bram Nuada-Re has gathered four catalysts. He will display them before you now."

The three followers stood around a table with several items laid out, each covered in cloth. Sircolia snapped his fingers. Around him, various tools and instruments sprung to life. They carried out their numerous tasks soundlessly and efficiently. Sircolia turned to Bram Nuada-Re and stepped forward. The clatter of his footsteps on the cold, hard tiles rang through the room.

"Well, take them out," he said to Bram Nuada-Re, who stammered.

"Yes, of course" he replied, gesturing to the table beside him. He then lifted the cloth covering the first catalyst, a book.

"This is a novel written in the 16th century, El Ingenioso Hidalgo Don Quixote de la Mancha. I believe it will allow you to summon Don Quixote, a fictional Knight."

Sircolia stared at the book briefly, without bothering to examine further. He waited for Bram Nuada-Re to continue. Misa produced a livelier reaction. She picked it up, fascinated by it.

"I read this novel before, a modern translation, at least. If you don't mind, I will take this catalyst," she said.

"Oh?" Bram Nuada-Re said.

"I know all about Don Quixote, and this should allow us to work together seamlessly."

Misa fluttered with excitement at how their meeting turned out. She got one of her favourite characters as a Servant. She turned to humorous tales such as Don Quixote's whenever she felt down or lonely. His upbeat, undaunted spirit in his long quest for chivalry stood as an inspiration to her. He never gave up, despite being rather incompetent and often failing in comical ways. His story made her feel a lot less bad about herself at times. She wondered how Don Quixote would behave as a person, hoping he would take a liking towards her as a companion to embark adventures on. She held on to the book gingerly, caressing its weathered cover.

"Go ahead, you will take the dusty book," Sircolia remarked. "What else do you have to offer?"

"Sorry to disappoint you with the first catalyst." Bram Nuada-Re now unveiled a piece of lamellar armour, made of leather and iron plates.

"This came from the tomb of Genghis Khan himself!" he proudly declared, hoping his leader would share the same enthusiasm.

Sircolia's eyes widened, as he approached the armour piece with his hand outstretched.

"Interesting." Sircolia's fingers caressed the delicate piece of ancient armour, eyes transfixed by the potential it offered. "Genghis Khan was a legendary hero to the Mongolian people, although others regard him as a brutal conqueror. Either way, he is guaranteed to be first-rate. This catalyst is mine. You have outdone yourself."

"Thank you, Sir."

"Now for the third and fourth catalysts," Bram Nuada-Re announced.

"The shaggy breeches of Ragnar, pardon me, it's the literal translation, and the helmet of Gordafarid."

"I will take Gordafarid's helmet." Fezgrem said.

Everyone turned to Fezgrem. He seldom spoke and now he offered no explanation for his actions. He offered no explanation for taking the catalyst. Misa opened her mouth to ask him about his reasons. Before she could, Fezgrem stopped her.

"Don't bother."

Sircolia smirked. Pointing his hand at him, he said, "It looks like our Fezgrem distrusts us."

"We are only working together to restore the Grail War. Once it starts, we will be opponents. I will only share with you the barest minimum," Fezgrem said with his fist raised. He wore dark brown office jacket and long pants, his ear-length lavender hair moved as he spoke.

"Though we will all be opponents once the Holy Grail War begins, I believe we should have a gentleman's agreement to not kill each other. We stand on the precipice of making history. The Grail Wars will live again," Sircolia said.

"I second that," Misa said. She hated the idea of them killing each other.

"As do I," Bram Nuada-Re said. "I will take Ragnar's shaggy breeches."

"Hmph, magi promising to uphold an agreement? Don't make me laugh." Fezgrem picked up Gordafarid's helmet. "We are nothing more than savages, we won't hesitate to kill and betray for even a minor advantage."

"Now Fezgrem, I am dismayed you still hold such primal and old-fashioned beliefs. I hope to bring in a new era, one where Grail Wars are more sporting."

"If you say so," Fezgrem said. "Let me make it clear. I refuse to accept that you only desire to restore the Grail Wars, for the sake of tradition. You must have something you desire. Since you have insisted you are benevolent, I hope you don't mind explaining why you are so."

"My Family's magical circuits go back over a thousand years. We are the epitome of magus tradition. The Grail Wars are quite recent compared to my bloodline, but it has become established in our culture, shaping our history for the past 200 years. I have made it a personal responsibility to restore it."

Misa did not consider if Sircolia's explanation made complete sense, though she liked the idea of him preserving magus history. Fezgrem remained silent and kept to himself. He did not wait for Sircolia to finish before visibly ignoring him. His lack of respect got on her nerves, though as the youngest here, she remained quiet.

"Since Fezgrem has abandoned this topic, let us get on to strategy. Misa, you will go to the border between Finland and Russia. From there, travel slowly and unconcealed to Helsinki," Sircolia said.

Misa accepted her task, happy with her role in Sircolia's mission. Her role seemed safe, and if things got hairy, she could call upon her Light Magecraft. By being the bluff to lure them into a false sense of security, her allies could now strike their foes while they were unaware. Her role made her feel special.

"I will travel to Helsinki from the sea, with the other two, concealed by numerous magics," Sircolia continued.

After he finished telling them the plan, Fezgrem approached him with a question.

"You seem overly confident in your ability to handle the defences. What if the three of us encounter the Servant?" Fezgrem questioned.

Sircolia paused, and said, "I should be able to defeat this Servant if I catch him off-guard."

Fezgrem rolled his eyes. "I see, so you are both a liar and a fool."

Bram Nuada-Re raised his fist at Fezgrem. Voice shaking with rage, he shouted, "You will not insult the leader, he has no selfish desires, and only intends to restore the Grail Wars."

Sircolia confirmed this. "Yes. I do not intend to win the Helsinki Grail War. I just want to restore it for all magi to use.

"You chose the strongest catalyst. You clearly intend to win. Bram Nuada-Re, he insults your intelligence." Fezgrem's posture became rigid.

"I chose Genghis Khan to deprive the three of you of the Heroic Spirit who will surely win the war, allowing the Helsinki Grail War to become fair. If one of you, who desires to win, acquires his catalyst, then the playing field will not be level."

Fezgrem waved his hand to dismiss Sircolia's explanation. He made his disbelief apparent, and issued a challenge to Sircolia, who did not flinch. Even in the face of Fezgrem's questioning, Sircolia remained calm and composed, which only showed his superiority over the more temperamental Fezgrem.

"Don't you understand? I will use my Command Spells to kill Genghis Khan once Hannes' Servant falls."

Fezgrem pointed a trembling finger at Misa and Bram Nuada-Re. "You are nothing more than sheep intending to follow this manipulative bastard who will dispose of you the moment you are no use to him. However, it is three against one, and given your planning, resources and connections, I'll certainly die if I back out now."

Sircolia stared at Fezgrem, not saying a word. He made an insulted, surprised expression, appalled that Fezgrem accused him of such sly deeds.

Fezgrem relented when one believed his accusation. "I'll do my part in your plan. Taking my chances with you in Helsinki is preferable to certain death right here," he said.

Ignoring Fezgrem, Sircolia said, "Each of you has agreed to participate in this operation, for your own reasons. I'll uphold my word and give you a Grail War. Misa, you leave for the Russian border tomorrow. I will finalize preparations, and we 3 will set off for the Estonian coast several days later."

Once all his followers left, Sircolia contacted a magus.

"Iri'schol, kill Rin Tohsaka and Shirou Emiya. Use any means necessary, the disposable ones in our ranks should suffice."

"Sir, why them?"

"You don't need to know. Do it or I find someone else. I have dozens of others who would grasp at this job."

"Yes sir, thank you for choosing me."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: Clash at the Airport**

**(Day 1 in Helsinki) **

Now at the London Airport, Aasaa bade Shirou and Rin a tearful farewell. Smiling at their son and wishing him a safe journey, they surprised him with a fragment of a bow. He recognized it as a catalyst immediately, though he wondered its purpose. They kept this a secret from him in the plans.

_Did Dad want me to summon a Servant?_

"Your father found this catalyst in China. We think it will let you summon an Archer if the situation ever calls for it," Rin said.

"Isn't it my goal to stop the Grail War?"

"It is. She just thought that since you are working with the Helsinki Grail, an attack by the enemy could lead to a Grail War starting. Then, you'll need to summon a Servant, and this will let you summon a powerful one," Shirou answered.

Aasaa took the catalyst from Shirou, bowed his head and thanked him. He now scanned the item, fingers manipulating the bow fragment to reveal the various sides, so he could get a good look. Aasaa stopped his inspection when he felt the concern his parents showed for him. Gratitude filled him as he hugged them, telling them that the chances he would use it were low. He told them their concern for him was only natural, and that he could not have made it this far without such caring parents. Seeing their loving smiles, he accepted the catalyst.

_My very own Servant. A part of me wants a Grail War._

Aasaa trashed this fantasy of his, dismissing it as irresponsible. The Grail Wars were destructive, and a real hero would want to prevent them at all costs. Still, the idea of meeting a famed hero, whose deeds have become legend, appealed to him. Aasaa promised to be safe and do his best. As he boarded the plane, he turned back to wave to his parents one last time.

_This is what I trained for, time to prove myself. No room for doubt or reconsideration. This is what I waited for 25 years. The world will know my name._

Leaving his parents conflicted him. He ached with the guilt of making them worry about him, and yet in his heart, he knew he could not live a sheltered life forever. He could not wait to step out into the world, a sentiment his parents shared. They beamed at their son with pride, proud of their son who believed in the right values and the power to uphold them.

Shirou and Rin watched their son board the plane. Seeing the plane take off, they sighed and prepared to return to the Clocktower when a magus approached them. It was Iri'schol, the magus who had come to their "aid" when the woman attacked Aasaa and assigned the 3 false sentry magi.

"I hoped to catch the boy too, but your heads will suffice." Iri'schol shot them a caustic glare.

Shirou realized they were in a public area, and a confrontation here would reveal them.

"Why do all of you speak like that?" Rin asked. "Did Sircolia give you an evil-magus speech lesson or something?"

"Funny. Maybe you can ask Sircolia and see what he says, just before he kills you for meddling in our affairs." Iri'schol created a concealing field around them and opened his palm, revealing a handful of darts. He whispered a short incantation and they began to levitate.

Shirou knew what to expect from such an obvious attack. The darts would soon be launched at high speeds.

"Rho Aias!"

A multi-layered purple shield formed, protecting him and Rin. The darts sprayed over the shield, deflecting harmlessly. They clinked to the floor, their broken tips releasing an acrid smell.

Iri'schol stretched out his other hand. It held a chain, connected to his wrist. A second magus arrived and connected the chain to his hand as well. Both magi activated a spell causing lightning to crackle along the chain.

"That is really impractical," Rin judged.

"Now's not the time for wisecracks, we must stop them," Shirou said.

"Alright, so is it time for Unlimited Blade Works?" Rin asked.

"I don't think it would be necessary against them," Shirou said.

"Good old-fashioned trashing then." Rin said as a gemstone she readied in her hand hummed with red energy.

While they evaluated the amateurish magi, said magi tried to encircle them with the chain. Unintimidated by the gimmicky tactics, Rin launched the red gemstone, its activation generating a magnetic force to pull the chain to the ground, stopping their attack.

Shirou deactivated Rho Aias and attacked with Kanshou and Bakuya. He made a sweeping cut with Kanshou at Iri'schol, who created a forcefield. Shirou then threw Bakuya at the chain, shattering it. The lightning enchantment fizzled away.

From behind, the second magus launched an energy beam and shattered Kanshou in Shirou's hands. Being deprived of a weapon did not concern Shirou, who projected the two weapons again. Catching his opponent off guard, Shirou lunged ahead and cut him down, leaving him incapacitated, allowing Shirou to focus on Iris'chol.

Rin demonstrated her skill by turning the mundane spell, Gandr, into a force to be reckoned with. Hazy orbs streamed at Iris'chol, chipping away at his defences and cutting off any opportunity to counter-attack.

Two more magi arrived. One of them held a small grey porcelain jar in their hands. Shirou deduced instantly that they arrived to assist Iris'chol.

The magi holding the jar threw it at Shirou and Rin. It shattered on the floor erupted in a blinding explosion. Shirou's ears rang from the attack, and he backed away. Another magus attacked with a large purple orb aimed at Rin. Shirou sensed the approaching danger and parried it away with Bakuya, protecting Rin in the process, who activated a gemstone in her hands to spray a stream of fire. It seared the magus who cast the purple orb, eating through a defensive shield he cast. The flaming magus tumbled over, crying out in agony as his skin charred before his eyes. The magus who threw the porcelain jar ignored his fallen ally, and threw another jar, this one breaking to release skeletal spiders.

Meanwhile, Iris'chol encased himself in a protective bubble to avoid Rin's Gandr. He issued orders to i to focus on Rin. The magus with the jars ordered his skeletal spiders to go after Rin. They leaped at her, brandishing their inch-long fangs dripping with bluish toxin. Rin evaded the spiders, only to wander into a trap created by Iris'chol. Iris'chol grinned as jaws made of energy emerged to crush her legs. Rin reacted to the sudden attack by reinforcing her legs and shrugging off the jaws without difficulty. She then sprinted at Iris'chol, who could barely keep up with her, as she sped around him, barely more than a blur. She kicked at his bubble, pushing him back, though his defences held for now.

Meanwhile, the other magus prepared a jar billowing with thick grey smoke. Rin noticed him trying to get behind her, and fired Gandr at the jar, shattering it before he could throw it. Black foam poured out and covered him. It solidified within seconds, trapping him. Rin finished him off with an explosive gemstone, which caused his spiders to deactivate as well.

Shirou found himself left unchallenged during the entire sequence. He used this time to project multiple copies of Kanshou and Bakuya for his secret technique, Triple-Linked Crane Wings. Using 3 pairs of Kanshou and Bakuya, he launched them at different directions, so that they approached Iris'chol from all sides, completely sealing him. Each of his weapons struck with devastating force, piercing the bubble like a balloon. Iris'chol could only twitch as he became a pincushion for Shirou's weapons. With his defeat, the fight ended. Iris'chol struggled on the ground, using the last of his strength to remove the weapons from his body.

"Don't, you'll only worsen the bleeding," Shirou advised, holding Iris'chol's hand. He did not wish to watch his enemy suffer further.

The second magus Shirou incapacitated earlier managed to get up despite multiple slash wounds. His skin glowed with yellow-green swirls, a sign of healing Magecraft. Rin proceeded to corner him with Gandr, to which he responded by channelling mana through his body to allow him to absorb the attack.

"Is that the best you can do?" he said.

Rin smirked. She responded with her mastery of all 5 great Elements, after all, this amateur called her out. A surge of wind cut through the magus, slicing his robes and into his flesh at several areas. A pressurized blast of water knocked him off his feet. The ground cracked and rocky protrusions pinned his feet. A fiery bomb finished him off, causing him to surrender. Rin found it unnecessary to use her ether attack, the fifth element.

Upon subduing their foes, Shirou and Rin healed them before bringing them to the Clocktower for further investigation.

Aasaa arrived in Helsinki Airport half a day later. An old man with grey hair, wearing a simple brown leather jacket and leather trousers, addressed him at the arrival hall. The mid-autumn air chilled him.

Removing his hat, he introduced himself, hand outstretched to shake Aasaa's. "I am Hannes. My Servant is in spirit form beside me. My associates are closing in on the magus travelling to Helsinki, well, no longer travelling to, as she is in Helsinki as we speak." His eyes attentive yet weary, Aasaa could see wrinkles and eye bags even through the glasses he wore. Whatever Hannes did, it clearly demanded much from him.

Aasaa shook his hand, noting the firm handshake and taking in details on his new ally. Hannes had the air of one experienced in combat, his jacket bore areas where he tried to patch over stab and slash marks, not too successfully of course. Despite this, he could see a cheerful side to him as Hannes maintained a smile so far. They started walking towards the exit, where a car waited for them.

"Nice to meet you. It seems you have acquired more information on her, such as her gender. What else do we know?"

"We don't know anything critical, such as her identity or her abilities. However, the two associates should have no problems with detaining her. I'm taking you to the site of the Helsinki Grail in my car."

They reached the car, a silver, medium-sized Mercedes. Slapping the roof of his car, Hannes explained that its frame had triple reinforcing and bulletproof windows. He proclaimed it to be the best in terms of defensive features. Aasaa listened in awe, feeling safer already. Hannes opened the car door to let him in while lecturing Aasaa on other defensive features with confidence. He rubbed a finger on the glass windows which he claimed would repel magic, to which Aasaa nodded while placing his head on the head rest.

A man in his thirties manifested before them, wearing all white. His left cheek scarred, with some flesh missing. A rifle was slung to his shoulder.

"This is your Servant? Simo Häyhä?"

"Yes, call me Simuna. I am pleased to have an ally in these uncertain times."

"Simuna, take us to Helsinki Old Church," Hannes said.

"Yes Master."

"No need to be so formal." Hannes reminded, patting Simo Häyhä on the shoulder, who smiled.

"I merely used the proper terms in front our new guest," he replied, taking a good look at Aasaa to note his features.

"Don't worry about it, I would much rather an informal setting, it's much easier to get to know each this way." Aasaa smiled at Simo Häyhä who then shook his hand.

Ready to travel, Simo Häyhä sat in the driver's seat and drove them to the Old Church, while Hannes joined Aasaa in the back seat.

20 kilometers away, Misa, the magus monitored by Hannes, arrived in Helsinki Central Station. She took a train for the last part of the journey. Now in Helsinki, she took in her surroundings, noting the granite walls and its clock tower which would make a suitable vantage point. From the corner of her eye, she became aware of two of Hannes' associates followed her and made her way to a quiet corner and surrendered. They approached her and cast a concealing spell before detaining her for questioning. Misa followed Sircolia's instructions exactly, not wanting to fail him. He did not see her as a complete failure, compared to most magi who looked down on her for being a magus who did not inherit her Family's crest, and thus considered her to not be a genuine heir.

As Hannes' associates restrained her, she began to have slight doubts about the soundness of Sircolia's instructions. Recalling her interactions with him in this new light, she realized she did notice occasional gaps in his behaviour which gave her the lingering feeling he hid behind a facade. Her consciousness began to fade as Hannes' associates cast a spell on her. Misa would have objected, but she was overcome by a feeling of calmness and serenity as she closed her eyes.

Meanwhile, Sircolia, Bram Nuada-Re and Fezgrem arrived at Helsinki's South harbour. They sailed across from Estonia, covered in the best concealing spells known, a feat achieved by Sircolia's magical prowess. Breathing in the cold sea breeze, and hearing seagulls squawk overhead, they double-checked for anyone watching them. Satisfied they were unobserved, they disappeared into a small crowd. They made their way to Helsinki Old Church.

Aasaa and Hannes continued their journey. Aasaa would ask a question and Hannes would always offer too-long a detailed answer that sounded almost scripted. He did not mind, at least it meant Hannes took being well-prepared seriously.

"So, our organization has about 40 people. Those under me are called my associates. Most, not all, of us have magus backgrounds, though what matters is our desire to protect both Grail and country," Hannes explained.

"You mean you have non-magi in your ranks?"

"Well, they know about Magecraft, just unable to perform it themselves. Doesn't stop them from firing a gun and helping with defence. Most magi call our usage of non-magi weapons ridiculous, and our cooperation with non-magi themselves deplorable. Rubbish. If it works, I'm willing to do it."

"I see," Aasaa said. "Kiritsugu, my grandfather, used similar tactics. He technically won the Fourth Grail War, so there's no chance I'll be underestimating you guys. Also, I believe anyone can do the right thing, magi or not. You are unorthodox, yet I am confident you know what you are doing."

"Glad to hear. So, I heard you're eager to make a name for yourself, right?"

"Well, it's more complicated. I don't want fame or recognition."

"Why, if not for fame or for money?" Hannes asked.

"I grew up on tales of heroes and their deeds. Look at my parents, they fought as heroes from the Fifth Grail War. I've been fortunate to have lived a relatively safe life, and I want to give back by doing something worthy of all the heroes I look up to."

These words caused Hannes to open to Aasaa who considered it a small victory as they got along. First impressions were important. Judging from how Hannes was receptive of his desire to selflessly help others, Aasaa deduced he shared similar motives.

"I see. Since you shared your origins, I'll share mine. I started off from a weak magus Family and did not want to continue my Family Crest. I wanted to become a soldier."

"What happened?" Aasaa asked.

"My Family did not let me, so I became a vigilante in secret, fighting criminals. It's quite silly, since it also broke the law. I obtained guns and weapons through other Freelancers and got to work."

Aasaa listened to the story, while his hand pressed on the cured leather seat which Hannes claimed to be everything-proof but waterproof.

"Well, one night I discovered some rogue magi skulking around the streets in the wee hours of the morning. Their illegal operation involved smuggling stolen magical artefacts from Russia. I managed to hear them discuss using one of the devices to harvest magical energy beneath the Old Church."

"Helsinki Old Church?"

"Yea, I knew they were up to no good. Silly me thought it would be a smart idea to use guns on them. Mind you, I wanted conventional life and denied myself my Family crest."

"How did you survive? Didn't they attack you?" Aasaa's eyebrows raised in concern.

"Oh they did. I ran out of bullets. The magi did not even suffer a scratch. Clutching my stomach, trying to stop the blood flow, I ran to my hideout to get more weapons. I tried to open a weapon crate with my bloodied hands when one of the magi caught me."

Aasaa sat forward, bringing himself closer to Hannes, fixated on the story.

"Pinned on the ground, blood still oozing, I braced myself for the worst when Lord El-Melloi The Second arrived. I passed out soon after. I only know those magi were no match for him."

"Why would he save you in particular?"

"Coincidence? Maybe he saw something in me that even I didn't. I don't know."

Aasaa continued listening to Hannes' story. He admired Lord El-Melloi The Second even more now, how he must have arrived in the nick of time to bring justice down on the magi. He was worthy of being called a hero.

"I told him everything, including the details about the Old Church. Lord El-Melloi The Second made sure I was treated, then helped me create my organization. I returned to my Family, took the remnants of their crest and started a new life as a proper Freelancer."

"Why would he give you so much for free?"

"It wasn't." Hannes sighed before continuing his tale. "Two years later, Lord El-Melloi The Second approached me again with a job of grave importance. That day, I became a protector of the Helsinki Grail."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: A Job of Grave Importance**

**34 Years Ago: **

"Hannes, we met two years ago, correct?" Lord El-Melloi The Second asked.

"Yes, Lord El-Melloi."

"It is 'Lord El-Melloi The Second', if you don't mind. Two years ago, you attempted to protect your nation from rogue magi, but alone, you almost died."

Hannes remained silent. He was a young man, wearing a black office attire, with a long-sleeved shirt underneath. His trimmed hair bristled as he rubbed his head while Lord El-Melloi The Second reminded him of his brush with death.

"I have given you the resources and influence to recruit a task force to protect your nation. Now, I need your help," Lord El-Melloi The Second continued.

"Help? For how long? Would we be adequate?"

"This task will last your entire life, and the lives of your successors. I am charging you with defending the Helsinki Grail." Lord El-Melloi The Second proceeded to explain the details of the Helsinki Grail to him.

Silence. Hannes heard of the Grail Wars before. He struggled to understand why Lord El-Melloi The Second would elect him of all people. He wholly doubted his worthiness of such as task. Around them sat shelves of books and crates of weapons. The books were dusty and covered in webs, while the weapon crates were well-maintained, its hinges worn from repeated opening. At least, most of them were. One remained untouched for two years, due to sentimental reasons. The two of them spoke in Hannes' office, part of an underground fortress in Suomenlinna, Finland.

Lord El-Melloi The Second explained to Hannes that he had to protect the Helsinki Grail indefinitely. Lord El-Melloi The Second addressed most of Hannes' questions, before handing Hannes a rusty Winter War rifle.

"This is a catalyst. I chose a Finnish Servant as he would be motivated to defend his nation, and the Helsinki Grail by extension. He will also receive a significant boost in power from fighting on his home ground."

Receiving the rifle, Hannes remained quiet for a while, his arms folded. He closed his eyes, immersed in these thoughts, as taking up the task would shape the destinies of everyone in his organization. They would from henceforth be eternal guardians of the Helsinki Grail. He wanted to refuse, unwilling to bear the cost. He needed more time from Lord El-Melloi The Second to think it through. Moving to speak, Hannes turned to one of the crates with a bloody handprint still on it. Looking at it opened the floodgates in his mind, and memories began to pour forth. He made it when he tried to open that crate for weapons in a last-ditch effort to stop the rogue magi. He was seconds from death when Lord El-Melloi The Second came and defeated the magi with only simple to moderate spells. He turned the tables on them with sheer experience and wisdom. Lord El-Melloi The Second's simple yet effective fighting style would shape Hannes own techniques as both lacked potent magic circuits. Afterwards, Lord El-Melloi The Second used his connections and position to give Hannes all he needed to protect his nation, doing so with the understanding that he would one day return to seek Hannes for a favour. Today.

Hannes took a deep sigh, breathing in the cold air which smelled of the sea. It made sense, as Suomenlinna was an island. He owed Lord El-Melloi The Second his life, and thus decided to take up the task.

"Lord El-Melloi The Second, I accept the task. Thank you for everything you have done for us."

Lord El-Melloi The Second bowed and thanked Hannes as his shoes clattered softly on the white tiles, bringing him forward. His dusk coloured robes and long hair flowed behind him, while the white ceiling lights illuminated his face, highlighting his stern expression. Hannes could see it, beneath his severe countenance lay faint signs of relief, borne of him accepting the task. This task weighed heavily upon Lord El-Melloi The Second. Hannes knew how much he owed him and told himself he would not back out. He knew another Grail War would be horrible, and thus he embraced his role in preventing it.

"We will begin the summoning then," he said. Hannes nodded, as his fingers gripped the rifle tightly. He examined it further. It was battle-worn, covered in scuffs, rust, and even a dark area which he believed to be blood. Whoever used the rifle must have fought through hell and back. He took his gaze off the catalyst and saw Lord El-Melloi The Second at work creating a summoning circle. He used a red-coloured stone to draw the markings, which resembled chalk, though the markings were deep red and glossy. As it tracked across the floor to create the markings, it released fumes smelling of blood.

"We're ready. Hannes, you can summon the Servant once I give you a final briefing," Lord El-Melloi The Second said.

Hannes placed the catalyst on the summoning circle and began the incantation:

Let silver and steel be the essence.

Let stone and the archduke of contracts be the foundation.

Let this catalyst return you to the land you call home.

Let rise a wall against the wind that shall fall

Let the four cardinal gates close.

Let the three-forked road from the crown reaching unto the Kingdom rotate.

I hereby declare.

Your body shall serve under me.

My fate shall be your sword.

Submit to the beckoning of the Helsinki Grail.

If you will submit to this will and this reason... Then answer!

An oath shall be sworn here!

I shall attain all virtues of all of Heaven.

I shall have dominion over all evils of all of Hell!

From the Seventh Heaven,

Attended to by three greet words of power,

Come forth from the ring of restraints,

Protector of the Holy Balance!

The temperature plummeted and the summoning circle glowed white. A mist emerged from the markings, as rays of white light filtered through it. Tentacles of frost grew out from the circle, creating intricate patterns of ice crystals on the floor. Hannes took a step back, his feet nearly slipping from the ice forming on the ground. Lord El-Melloi The Second tightened his cloak, his breath now frosty.

Hannes stood before the unfolding spectacle, enraptured by the summoning. Goosebumps formed on his skin, and he was unsure if it came from the sheer thrill watching Finland's hero return, or from the -20 degrees Celsius windchill flowing around the room.

The cold gave way to sounds of cries and gunfire. The song of war. The scent of spent gunpowder filled the chilly air, the snow itself becoming covered in a thin layer of soot, and blood. Finally, a figure began to materialize, at the centre of a swirling pillar of mist and smoke. Hannes took a closer look, stepping forward to scrutinize the finer details, when a freezing wave of air hit him, tossing his hair. The Servant wore an all-white uniform, under a white parka. A rifle slung over his shoulder, his belt held pouches full of supplies and ammunition, this Servant seemed to be plucked from a battlefield. He wore snowshoes, old ones, ones found in a museum these days.

The summoning concluded without any grandiose finale. Instead, the swirling pillar of mist underwent a fading decline until it thinned out enough for the Servant to step forth. The Servant approached Hannes, removing his white mask with a gloved hand to reveal a friendly face. Hannes became aware of his mangled left cheek. Though this Servant seemed pleasant from initial impressions, Hannes could sense he had the potential to get serious when the situation called for it. He saw that his body language carried a certain rigidity found only in regimented soldiers. The firm handshake they exchanged further reinforced this side of him.

"I am Simo Häyhä, Soldier of the Winter War, protector of this frigid land and its people. Though others would call me by my moniker, The White Death."

Hannes maintained his silent bewitchment before this man. Simo Häyhä, the deadliest sniper in history was now his Servant. Most people in this age had forgotten his contributions, but not him. This man ruled the battlefield with nothing but a humble rifle. Invisible in the snow, invincible in combat, he dispensed death with frigid precision. His enemies tried everything, from hails of gunfire to massive charges outnumbering him 30 to 1 to sending armoured units and air support. Nothing they did worked. Each day they fought on his turf, more and more of them dropped dead, the body count piling into the hundreds. Their blood painted the snow red with Simo Häyhä's vengeance, the price of invading his country. He stood as a legend in the stories, a ghost on the battlefield and a hero to the people. He was the White Death.

Hannes studied the way his Servant introduced himself. He concluded that he wanted to fight for and with his people. He would do anything to achieve this, including slaying his enemies by the hundreds. They explained the situation to Simo Häyhä, who agreed to lend his help until he drew his last breath. Master and Servant now united in purpose, they began to make preparation for guarding the Helsinki Grail.

* * *

**Simo Häyhä's Data Sheet **

**Class: Assassin**

**True Name: Simo 'Simuna' Häyhä**

**Alignment: Lawful Neutral **

**Parameters **

**Strength: D **

**Endurance: A **

**Agility: A **

**Mana: D **

**Luck: A+**

**Class Skills **

**Presence Concealment: A **

As the deadliest sniper in history, Simo Häyhä's Presence Concealment is exceptional. It is further enhanced by him being on home ground. If it snows, it increases further. Using his Noble Phantasm: White Death maximizes this to the absolute limits.

_**"Our best sniper would stall an enemy advance if they even suspected he lurked in the snow, rifle waiting. Tank groups were routed by him. Armies would turn around and flee if they heard his name." - A Finnish Soldier, 1939.**_

**Independent Action: A **

Simo Häyhä derives Independent Action from his many experiences as a lone sniper taking down dozens of targets while unseen. He draws power from Finland, which enhances this further.

**Personal Skills **

**The People's Hero: C **

Simo Häyhä's parameters increase when he is near Finnish natives who admire him as a national hero. This skill is diminished due to his legend fading with time.

_**"I only did my duty, and what I was told to do, as well as I could."**_

**Clairvoyance: A **

Simo Häyhä achieved numerous marksmanship trophies in his time, and his aim always held true during the Winter War. There is a reason he is called the White Death by both friend and foe.

_**"How did I become the best shooter in history? Practice."**_

**Territory Creation: D **

Simo Häyhä considered the environment in his sniper tactics. He was one with it and took steps to avoid being affected by it. He would even hold ice in his mouth to prevent his breath from becoming frosty to avoid being seen. As a result, he is now gifted with a degree of control over snowy terrain. His Territory Creation stat increases when he activates his Noble Phantasm: White Death, which plunges an area into a magical snowstorm.

_**"When in the field, you must not ignore even the slightest environmental detail. Your surroundings are your friend and foe."**_

**Noble Phantasm: **

**Pystykorva, "The Spitz", Bullets of Eternal Winter**

**D-Rank, Anti-Unit**

All of Simo Häyhä's bullets disrupt mana, allowing them to deal crippling damage to Magi and Servants. Magic Circuits can be fried, and lesser Servant defenses can be overcome by this attack.

This Noble Phantasm manifested as a result of a top-secret mission Simo Häyhä carried out during the Winter War. Russian invaders conspired with a group of magi to turn the tide of battle in their favour. Conventional Finnish soldiers were no match for these magi on the Russian side. To avenge his fellow soldiers, Simo Häyhä took it upon himself to hunt down these magi. Using hunting techniques, camouflage and traps, he outsmarted the magi and gunned them down before they could react. Knowing he could not face them head on, he assassinated them in their sleep, exploiting their arrogance for not setting up even rudimentary barriers. When news of a single soldier slaying all the magi reached them, the Russian army hid this humiliation by claiming that Simo Häyhä used an anti-magic submachine gun. The rumour became reality when he was summoned as a Servant.

**White Death **

**A-Rank, Anti-Team **

Simo Häyhä's sole Noble Phantasm is derived from how he is nearly undetectable, and lethally accurate. He used the terrain to his advantage and punished all who crossed into Finnish territory. His deeds and accomplishments became legend, manifesting in this Noble Phantasm. It creates a field 120 meters in radius. Inside, a relentless blizzard brew. All enemies face bitter cold, greatly reduced visibility and a slow but constant drain to their mana. Simo Häyhä can travel at blinding speeds in this area and is nigh undetectable. This grants him every opportunity needed to elude his foes and strike them where it hurts. Simo Häyhä will not hesitate to go after the Master while their Servant is lost in the storm. It also raises Simo Häyhä's Agility to EX, and Presence Concealment to EX.

It costs a large amount of mana to use and can only be used before Simo Häyhä is noticed by the enemy.

_**"I just shot every time I saw an enemy. I didn't care if he was a commander or not."**_

* * *

"We should use Suomenlinna, it's an impenetrable fortress," Simo Häyhä said.

"Agreed," Hannes said.

"I would like to. However, the unique magical energies found under Helsinki Old Church makes it the only place able to stabilize the magical restrictions I placed on the Helsinki Grail. I'm sorry, but you will have to move," Lord El-Melloi The Second said.

They shifted their operations to a network of catacombs under the Helsinki Old Church, where the Helsinki Grail now resided, aided by the Holy Church who controlled the church.

The few magus families in Helsinki were relocated as a result. Lord El-Melloi The Second gave them generous offers and paid for their property and transportation. With his work now complete, Lord El-Melloi The Second left Helsinki, leaving the job of protecting the Helsinki Grail to Hannes and Simo Häyhä. He could only return occasionally to maintain ties with them.

Hannes and Simo Häyhä carried out their task for the next 34 years unimpeded. Whenever a magus arrived to threaten the Helsinki Grail, Hannes would send a team to confirm their intentions and persuade them to turn around. If they resisted, these magi would soon find themselves lost in a frozen landscape, stalked by the White Death. There was no turning back, no surrender, once they reached this point. If they wanted to stay, they would end up staying in Helsinki forever, buried in the ice with their Magic Circuits fried by Simo Häyhä's Pystykorva.


	7. Chapter 7

**2nd Author's Note:**

Thanks everyone for reading my fanfiction. Here's an extra long, action packed Chapter 7. The Grail War is about to begin, and that means several new Servants. Keep reading to find out.

Stay tuned for a triple upload (Chapters 8,9,10) on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday consecutively next week. I'm doing that because those 3 chapters are closely linked.

PS: If this fanfiction is a success, I'll upload it on other sites and commission some artwork.

* * *

**Chapter 7: Battle of Helsinki Old Church **

**(Day 1 In Helsinki)**

Aasaa sat, intrigued by Hannes' story. He put his life on hold to protect the Helsinki Grail. Aasaa paid attention to Hannes' interest in protecting others and fighting for justice and considered him worthy of being called a hero. With the ice between them now broken, they continued to engage in conversation, switching to more light-hearted topics. Aasaa smiled, quite happy with the way things turned out. Hannes shifted the conversation to lodging and what to expect at the base.

"Okay, so I have a very important question," Aasaa asked.

"Oh, what's that?"

"Are our meals provided? Because I am atrocious at cooking for myself," Aasaa said.

Hannes laughed at the joke before pausing when Aasaa showed some genuine concern. "Oh, you're serious? You can't cook at all?"

"It's almost supernatural, how bad my cooking is," Aasaa admitted.

"We have rations for several months, and as long as Simo Häyhä's with us, buying food is no issue," Hannes said.

"Well that's good them. Sorry for you know..."

"Don't worry about it, we all have our imperfections," Hannes said.

"And what's yours?" Aasaa asked.

"I'm different, I have none."

Simo Häyhä made a noise, trying to stifle a laugh. As he drove, he eyed every street, every passing stranger, on high alert. They reached the church, where a priest of the Holy Church sat on the steps outside. He got up to greet them.

"Ah, here's Fredrick, old chap who joined us a few years back." Hannes pointed at him, explaining to Aasaa.

Simo Häyhä got out of the car first to speak to him. Aasaa and Hannes were a few paces behind, also out of the car.

"We kept the Grail safe while you were gone."

"We'll see for ourselves," Simo Häyhä said.

Despite the reassurances from Fredrick, Simo Häyhä's hand kept in position to grab his rifle and fire at a moment's notice. Fredrick noticed this, finding it a sign of distrust. As expected of a soldier, Simo Häyhä remained unfailingly vigilant. They neared the door of the Old Church.

"I am sorry Häyhä." Fredrick said as he summoned blades between his fingers and fired them at Hannes.

Thinking on his feet, Aasaa projected a sword and threw it between the blade and Hannes. The sword deflected the attack, protecting him. Fredrick dodged to the side as another sword from Aasaa aimed at him. He leaped back, and his feet landed and dragged across the ground, kicking up a small cloud of dust. Blades slipped out between Fredrick's fingers as he prepared to launch them again. Hannes drew his pistol, retreating to the car to use as cover. Aasaa remained out in the open, planning to engage in close combat. Outnumbered, Fredrick shouted to his allies in the Church asking for help.

"Hannes, if Fredrick is with the Church, then the Church must be conspiring to start the Grail War." Aasaa held a sword in one hand and a jewel in the other. He implanted the jewel into the sword and threw it as he spoke.

"Yes, Aasaa, I realized when he started throwing knives at me."

The sword with the jewel in it crashed into Fredrick, who used his blades to deflect. He repelled the initial strike, though the jewel then activated, exploding before Fredrick. Fredrick dropped the blades and clutched his eyes, blinded by shrapnel from the explosion. Hannes got out from his cover and began to fire at him. Aasaa grinned as his attack worked. That attack represented the union between his father's and mother's signature mage-crafts.

"Simuna, slay this traitor, Hannes said as he continued to fire at Fredrick. His shots were ineffective, as Fredrick dodged them without using his eyes. Nevertheless, they backed him into a corner.

"I'm on it." Simo Häyhä took aim.

"Aasaa go into the church and see who is in there. Be careful." Hannes continued to aim at Fredrick. "This traitor will be dead in no time, and we will back you up."

"On it," Aasaa said.

He stepped towards the church door when an explosion pushed him back. The door destroyed, only Bram Nuada-Re now stood in its place, his palm glowing red. Staring at Aasaa, his palm glowed more intensely again, as another blast emerged from it. Aasaa reeled from the blast. Infiltrators lurked within the Old Church.

"Death to all who oppose Sircolia!"

Hannes switched his attention to the more threatening magus. Aasaa saw Bram Nuada-Re targeting them. He judged the size of the first explosion and concluded that an attack at him will also catch Hannes. Hannes continued fiddling with his pistol, unaware of the danger he was on. The glow of Bram Nuada-Re's fist intensified, a humming sound coming from it. The air seems to be drawn to his palm. This explosion would dwarf the last. Aasaa shuddered at the thought of what this magus could do.

Thinking quickly, Aasaa pulled Hannes away. Hannes protested, stating the car's defensive features as more than able to withstand such an explosion. Nevertheless, Aasaa's physical strength caught the more elderly Hannes by surprise and lifted him several meters away. Aasaa continued to drag him further afterwards, taking several more steps. Bram Nuada-Re noticed that his foes changed their position. However, by charging such a massive blast, he lost the ability to re-target. His hand shook with cracking red sparks, barely in control. The energy reached critical mass, and a ball of condensed energy fired from his palm.

The spell soared through the air, sounding like a missile as it travelled. Crackling with power, it slammed into the car's reinforced frame with the force of a bomb, ripping through it. The reinforced steel frame crumpled like paper, warped and rent by the force of his attack. Hannes stared at the wreck of his car. He froze, as he could have been killed if not for Aasaa. By now, people were screaming and running for cover. The intoxicating fumes of melted metal and petrol filled the air, causing Aasaa to crinkle his nose. Hannes cursed, trying to prepare his gun with jittery hands. Aasaa witnessed the power of the explosion, the sword in his soot stained hand felt so weak and insignificant before what his foe could accomplish. Meanwhile, Hannes recovered, and took aim.

Aasaa analysed his opponent. He seemed to be the type who fought emotionally and went all out, which could catch an opponent off guard. However, it ran the risk of suffering counter-attacks and revealing his capabilities prematurely. Hence, Aasaa fought differently. He preferred to use measured attacks to draw the enemy into revealing their abilities, all the while using defensive and evasive tactics to keep himself safe. Like Hannes, he too worked on a counter, in the form of a projected sword he sculpted to travel through the air at lightning speed. He poured his knowledge and experience into perfecting the aerodynamics, balancing dimensions with the weight to achieve this result.

"Don't worry Aasaa, it's not the arsenal you have but how you use it that counts. Lord El-Melloi The Second taught me so," Hannes said, as his gun clicked shut, ready to fire.

"Really? You're just an old dog with nothing to show for your long years of experience." Bram Nuada-Re's words were barely audible over the noise of the battle. His white hair turned grey, matted with sweat and soot.

"What?" Hannes taunted. "I can't hear you."

Aasaa could tell from his tone that he toyed with their enemy. Thinking it would be prudent to take the fight seriously, he opened his mouth to chide Hannes for speaking and revealing his position. Hannes simple smiled, his face as if telling Aasaa to watch and see.

"I told you-" Bram Nuada-Re said, his temper rising, face flushed red.

As he spoke, a gunshot followed by loud gasping and choking rang through the air. Hannes acted as the distraction, and he made Bram Nuada-Re take his eyes off the battle for a split-second, which gave Simo Häyhä the time he needed. He shot Fredrick in the chest with his Pystykorva, causing him to struggle and collapse, his Magic Circuits being ripped apart. Fredrick lay dying in a pool of his own blood as he clawed at the air in agony. Bram Nuada-Re stared at the dying man, another mistake as the took his eyes off Simo Häyhä who fired several shots at him. Sprays of chipped brick sputtered as each bullet collided with the floor. Bram Nuada-Re took cover, cursing Fredrick for his incompetence, before putting him out of his misery with a small blast to his neck, and fleeing into the church. Aasaa threw his sword at him, which missed only by an inch.

Anticipating more combat soon, Aasaa readied his Magecraft, and prepared the projections for a dozen more swords. His hands held several gemstones. The fight descended into a full-scale magus battle, and he would respond in kind. Beside him strode Hannes, gun ready while anxiously pressing the buttons on a communicator.

Wreckage littered the outside of the church. The explosion tore the car's hull open and it bled fuel. Aasaa and Hannes were wary of being near it and walked around. They now advanced towards the church, while Simo Häyhä activated his Presence Concealment to become undetectable.

"Use your White Death," Hannes said.

"I can't. I have been sighted, and the enemy magus knows I'm present," Simo Häyhä said.

They did not know what awaited in the church. They approached defensively, fearing the worst. Though they summoned the best in their respective arsenals, they did not feel confident about proceeding. They did so anyway, for their enemies threatened the Helsinki Grail. If they did not act, no one else would.

Hannes cursed while he held a communicator with unsteady hands. Aasaa could feel panic radiating from him.

"Aasaa, the church is infiltrated. That chap, Sircolia right? I have a feeling he's here."

"Yea, what happened?"

"I don't know, but I can't contact any of my associates." Hannes stopped talking. He let out a defeated sigh as he came to the worst possible conclusion regarding their fates.

"Are they all-" Aasaa noted Hannes' frantic expression, which gave him pause. He feared the next word said, worrying if Hannes would react violently. "Dead?"

"I think they are," Hannes' eyes were misty, as he coughed and steadied himself. Emotion buried by robotic malice, he suddenly displayed no signs of losing his composure. Hannes whispered to himself under his breath, urging, reminding himself to remain focused. He grimaced as the ground his teeth, fingers tightening on his communicator before he forced himself to place it back in his pocket.

Aasaa's sword quivered, his eyes darting to pick up the smallest indication of danger. A worm of dread wandered through the passages of his mind. He found this ironic, as he dreamed of fighting for justice. Right in the thick of it, he could not help but have second thoughts. In his dreams, he always pictured himself to be victorious. Now, their chances of victory were mediocre. Aasaa reined in his fear and steeled himself to continue fighting on.

Sircolia claimed the church, who now stepped over the corpses of the Hannes' associates and Holy Church members, in the catacombs. His white clothes tainted by several drops of blood, an unexpectedly small amount for the massacre he just committed. He paid the fallen no respect and kicked aside the remains of one of them.

Isilda Von Einzbern followed, unbothered by the grim spectacle. She wore a long-sleeved maroon jacket with a long white skirt, untarnished by the battle they just fought. Tongues of flame licked the air, tasting the stench of death and blood. Their light illuminated her pale skin and hair, and red eyes without no pity. She stood before one who still lived, who tried to reach for a gun. Grinning at his feeble attempt, she kicked him down, before kneeling to admire the brazen figure. Her blood-red pupils stared into his, as she grinned. The man gasped, dropping the gun. Pinning him, Isilda's hands dug through his flesh and ripped out his heart, the spurting blood painting a smear across her face. The Einzberns were undaunted by carnage and brutality, and she was the most merciless homunculus yet, created by an ever-increasingly impatient and desperate Family Head. Her hand gripped the heart, which continued to ooze, leaving a trail of droplets on the floor. She harvested hearts because her Servant could consume them for mana.

Fezgrem kept his distance from the gruesome woman. Apparently, Isilda was a last-minute addition to the team that Sircolia conveniently did not inform him of. Taking the occasional glance at the dead, he pretended not to care about the depravity committed before him. Craters dug into walls, created by furious energy blasts from a battle moments ago. His nose sniffled from the smell of burnt paint and warm blood. Doors, furniture and other fixtures lay in pieces. Stone melted at one location, the target of a particularly focused energy beam. Nothing, living or not, emerged unscathed from the attack. Sircolia's show of power rivalled what a Caster Servant could do.

"Isilda and Fezgrem, I will shatter Lord El-Melloi The Second's restrictions and start another Grail War. He was a wise man, but his Magecraft is feeble. You two, go up and summon your Servants. Check on Bram Nuada-Re and Fredrick for me. I sent them to delay Hannes and the Servant if they showed up."

The two of them complied. Sircolia entered a passageway and emerged on the other side, before a massive room the size of a field. It held nothing inside.

With several incantations, the Helsinki Grail appeared before Sircolia. He undid a concealment spell that masked the entire Helsinki Grail. As he did so, thin, blue needle-like bursts fired from all corners of the room. A barrier formed around Sircolia and absorbed all the blue needles. Sircolia stepped closer, his feet threading on landmines. They did not activate, as he accumulated mana in his feet to jam their signals. The stones before him assembled themselves into a golem. Sircolia dismantled it as it formed with a wave of his right hand. A burst of fire activated, spraying burning liquid at him. Sircolia extinguished it without needing to look. To him, the defensive measures were mere inconveniences.

Upstairs, inside the church, Aasaa and Hannes were locked in combat with Bram Nuada-Re.

Aasaa could not get close with his swords thanks to Bram Nuada-Re's energy orbs. Hannes missed several times already. Simo Häyhä remained in Presence Concealment, as instructed by Hannes, who wanted him to search the church for information.

"Your men died for nothing," Bram Nuada-Re taunted. "Sircolia removed the restrictions, and we will have an army of Servants soon. Use your last few moments to run and make peace with your end."

Aasaa prepared to slash Bram Nuada-Re, having finally got close enough, when Isilda and Fezgrem emerged from the catacombs below, forcing him to retreat to Hannes. Simo Häyhä shot Isilda as she emerged, Presence Concealment disappearing and revealing his location. Isilda's blood-red eyes twitched, picking up the impending attack. With superhuman reflexes, she dodged before weaving a Wire Hawk and ordered it to zip towards Simo Häyhä, intent on binding him with mana threads. He dodged the familiar and aimed at Isilda with his Pystykorva.

Meanwhile, Fezgrem told Bram Nuada-Re to get behind, and he took over the fight against Aasaa and Hannes. He waved his arm, causing bricks from the church's walls to shuffle out of their positions. He fired them at Hannes, who activated a device around his wrist to disintegrate them. He took off the device afterwards, its single charge depleted to protect him. Hannes stored spells in such devices as he could not perform advanced magic, which Aasaa noted resembled how Shinji, one of his father's former classmates, would store spells in a book.

With Simo Häyhä, Aasaa believed in their chances. However, Simo Häyhä could not reach Bram Nuada-Re who started to summon his Servant.

Isilda constantly disrupted Simo Häyhä's aim with magical wires, while Fezgrem encased Bram Nuada-Re and his summoning circle in walls of bricks. His allies laboured to keep him completely defended.

Simo Häyhä unleashed short, precise bursts of fire. Darting away to avoid being hit, Isilda ducked to avoid a shot, the bullet instead digging itself into the church walls, emitting a spray of debris from where it hit. Isilda abandoned fighting and retreated behind Fezgrem, who faced pressure from Aasaa and Hannes.

"My Pystykorva can pierce his wall of bricks," Simo Häyhä said.

Aasaa and Hannes pushed Fezgrem back, and now Simo Häyhä had a clear shot.

The floor trembled, Simo Häyhä's aim went awry. A tunnel opened in the floor of the church, leading to the Helsinki Grail chamber below. Sircolia flew out from it, his white and gold raiments fluttering with magical energy. He shone with power, a sight to behold. Gold sigils formed on his clothes, his gloves glowed with mana for at least a dozen spells. The air filled with static, causing Aasaa's hair to stand.

His entrance completely cut Simo Häyhä off from Bram Nuada-Re, already halfway through his incantation now. Aasaa and Hannes recoiled at the arrival of this magus who brimmed with power. They could taste the mana in the air.

Sircolia conjured orbs of lightning, manifesting them near Aasaa and Hannes. He sent 4 more to bombard Simo Häyhä's location, forcing him to dodge and become invisible. Simo Häyhä appeared across the room moments later, squeezing the trigger of his rifle to unleash a spray of mana-disrupting shots that cancelled all the orbs aimed at Aasaa and Hannes.

"This is bad, his magic is strong," Simo Häyhä said, returning to invisibility.

Aasaa countered with two projected swords, one at Isilda and the other at Sircolia.

"Take that!" he said. The two swords were hungry to dig into his foes.

Once I see how they react to these two, I'll unleash a dozen more.

Sircolia could not care less for the feeble attack. He pushed the sword aimed at him with a wind blast, directing it into the sword aimed at Isilda. Both swords clattered on the ground. His executed this with such finesse that Aasaa gaped at him in shock.

Sircolia used a spell to pull Fezgrem and Isilda forward to fight Aasaa while he engaged Simo Häyhä and Hannes. To them, Bram Nuada-Re's survival was paramount so his summoning could complete.

Aasaa now responded with projecting more swords, sending a stream of them at Fezgrem. These were hollow and cheap. Aasaa made these to only imitate real swords, serving as a distraction.

Fezgrem smashed them out of the air with levitating bricks. He smiled, only to lose it when the last sword slammed into the ground inches from him. It shattered the ground where it landed, unleashing a burst of mana that gave Fezgrem pause, as he realized it could have killed or at least disabled him if it struck true.

The last one held the power and worth of more than a hundred of his cheap ones. Aasaa had poured an immense amount of mana into it. He expected the sword to hurt him, maybe even bring him down. He would never know now, for it missed.

Fezgrem paused the battle and told Isilda to fight. This confused Aasaa, who heard Fezgrem mutter something about him already giving enough to their cause. Isilda sounded betrayed by Fezgrem, though she remained focus on the battle.

"You don't want to be on their side, do you?" Aasaa asked Fezgrem as his swords forced Isilda on the defensive.

"No, though we are not allies." Fezgrem walled himself off and stayed inside.

Isilda's Wire Hawk soared to Aasaa's position. He then retreated, chucking an explosive gemstone at it as he did. Isilda retreated when her Wire Hawk exploded.

Simo Häyhä and Hannes fought Sircolia a distance away. He switched in and out of invisibility, appearing all over the battlefield, firing from every direction. A crossfire of shots caused Sircolia's beams of energy and lightning orbs to dissipate into scattered mana. Sircolia may be a magus with a thousand-year bloodline, which made him powerful beyond all other magi. Even then, he did not fully match up to a Servant.

Simo Häyhä raised his arms, drawing white mist from the ground and into his body. The power of the land itself responded to his call. Empowered by being on his home ground, Simo Häyhä weathered through a massive barrage of orbs and wind blasts from Sircolia. Once his opponent finished, Simo Häyhä raised his Pystykorva to fire.

Simo Häyhä would have defeated Sircolia, as his attacks cancelled magic. Unfortunately, Sircolia prevented this by aiming for Hannes, forcing Simo Häyhä on the defensive. As the battle progressed, Simo Häyhä's skill in combat prevailed, forcing Sircolia into a corner, whilst shielding Hannes. Sircolia stunned his opponent by moving at superhuman speeds.

"It's one thing after another with you," Simo Häyhä spat as the lowered his rifle to run to Hannes, sensing Sircolia planned to target his Master again.

Meanwhile, encased in layers of brick and protected by his allies, Bram Nuada-Re finished the incantation. His summoning circle glowed and erupted with smoke. A rumbling sound from the shuddering floor permeated the air. Armour materialized out of thin air, each piece hanging around the figure. When they fully manifested, each piece slammed into the figure, locking into place. They created a clanging sound as they did, with beams of light filtering out from the gaps in the armour. The armour caught fire, and then a blast of cool air tempered it. A Viking warrior clad in armour stood before them. His crude armour adorned with spikes and contained numerous folds and chains. He stretched out his hand, and in it, molten metal formed the shape of a sword. Cold air cooled it into a huge sword most people needed two hands to wield.

"Master, I heed your call!" said the figure. "My blade will strike true, for I am a Saber!"

* * *

**Ragnar Lothbrok's Data Sheet **

**Class: Saber **

**True Name: Ragnar Lothbrok "Ragnar Shaggy Breeches" **

**Alignment: Chaotic Neutral **

**Parameters **

**Strength: A **

**Endurance: B **

**Agility: D**

**Mana: E **

**Luck: E**

**Class Skills **

**Magic Resistance: C **

Being a Saber grants him a degree of magical resistance. This is diminished as he held many superstitious beliefs as a Viking. This came back to haunt him with a relatively mediocre Magic Resistance stat.

_**"I would worry less about the gods and more about the fury of a patient man."**_

**Personal Skills **

**Mad Enhancement: D **

Ragnar Lothbrok made many brash and aggressive decisions in life. One such decision saw him attempting to conquer Europe with only 2 ships. He failed and was executed by the enemy. Due to his senseless decisions in life, he is granted a mild degree of Mad Enhancement. Fortunately for him, his speech is unaffected, though he may to perform illogical acts at times.

**"Don't waste your time looking back. You are not going that way."**

**Noble Phantasm: **

**Traitorous Armaments of The Lost King **

**D-Rank, Anti-Unit (Self) and Anti-Team **

Ragnar received an exceptional sword and shield as a present from one of his supposed allies. The weapons proved effective, granting him immense power in combat. However, these weapons were created by a traitor within Ragnar's kingdom, and they would drain his energy with each usage. This led to Ragnar losing a fight he should have won, resulting in his capture and later execution.

Ragnar Lothbrok will upgrade his sword to its full power, granting it the ability to unleash waves of slicing wind with each strike. He will also gain access to his shield, allowing him to perform a bash attack that emits a shock wave capable of hitting multiple targets. His parameters are boosted by one rank each, in addition to his temporary ability to land area-splash attacks. Ragnar Lothbrok will lose mana with each attack performed.

**Shaggy Breeches of Ragnar Lothbrok **

**D-Rank, Anti-Unit (Self) **

Ragnar Lothbrok donned impenetrable breeches and a cloak dipped in pitch before facing a mighty dragon. These vestments granted him the ability to resist even the dragon's corrupted blood. When activated, his defence against all forms of damage is increased greatly.

It has several limitations as it ends once the mana invested into the activation is depleted. It also does not protect Ragnar Lothbrok from the strongest of attacks. His enemies could also simply opt to target his Master when his defence increases.

_**"No man can walk through life without things happening to him."**_

**The Great Heathen Army **

**C-Rank, Suicide Attack Anti-Army (Self) **

This Noble Phantasm retells Ragnar Lothbrok's execution as he is murdered by a pit of snakes. Despite his gruesome death, his tale did not end there. Shortly after, his many sons arrived with the Great Heathen Army to avenge him. They crushed all who were responsible, and their legend forever imprinted in history.

This Noble Phantasm causes Ragnar Lothbrok to relive his death, dying in the process. He will then summon his sons, who all became Heroic Spirits as well. They are: Ivar the Boneless, Ubba, Halfdan, Bjorn Ironside, Hvitserk, and Sigurd Snake-in-the-Eye. Together, they will lead an army of Viking warriors to fight. They will last until all of Ragnar Lothbrok's remaining mana at the point of using the Noble Phantasm is depleted, or when the person most responsible for Ragnar Lothbrok's downfall is vanquished, whichever one is fulfilled first.

_**"We fight. That is how we win, and that is how we die."**_

* * *

Aasaa retreated from Isilda, who did not pursue. Simo Häyhä grabbed Hannes and carried him to safety with a swift leap. The 3 of them watched in horror from near the entrance as their opponents now possessed their own Servant.

Bram Nuada-Re pointed at Simo Häyhä and said, "Saber, dispatch the Assassin."

"With pleasure. My sword is yours."

Sircolia and his followers took cover behind the Saber, now making his advance.

Logically, Aasaa sensed the hopelessness of the situation, though he showed no intention of giving up just yet. He clutched a sword in his hand, his conviction holding strong.

Hannes saw the Saber and said, "This must mean Lord El-Melloi The Second's restrictions have been undone. A Helsinki Grail War has commenced. We must flee and regroup."

"We're not going to let them win," Aasaa protested. He and Hannes observed from behind Simo Häyhä, trying to analyse the situation.

"We won't. These people will face justice soon, but to do so, we must retreat. You have to summon a Servant to match them," Hannes said, voice burdened by defeat.

Aasaa gazed upon the ruined surroundings. His nose ran from the amount of dust kicked up from their clashing. Blood and dirt caked his clothes. Abandoning the fight after so much struggle felt downright unthinkable. He resisted the decision. It clashed with his burning desire to prove himself, to fight and win and become the hero.

Aasaa drew his scimitar, glowering at the magi. They were all rotten. Each of them played a part in the destruction caused today. If he did not stop them now, untold suffering will be caused. No hero could allow that. The fate of innocents depended on whether he could win this fight.

"Aasaa, no, don't," Hannes reached out to grab him. Aasaa surged ahead, using magic to propel him forward, his scimitar reaching ever closer to the group of magi. His eyes widened as he prayed his sudden attack would catch at least one of them off-guard. Aasaa's allies desperately needed this else they would be forced to concede this battle.

The Saber took the front. Heaving his massive sword, he bore down on Aasaa's outstretched scimitar. The thin blade of the scimitar stood no chance against the downwards plunge of raw strength. It snapped, and with it, Aasaa's hopes of a sudden attack. Aasaa could feel his body shaking from the force of the Saber's attack. Still, he tried to summon more strength, anything to continue pushing forward. He could not accept this result.

A kick from the Saber sent Aasaa flying. Simo Häyhä caught Aasaa, and with his other hand pulled out a pistol to threaten the Saber's Master, Bram Nuada-Re.

Aasaa expected Simo Häyhä to open fire. He did not.

"Why?" he asked through bleeding lips.

"Have you ever tried firing a pistol with one hand? In any case I don't want a scrappy fight right now. You and Hannes could get caught in the crossfire. We are going, and no more reckless charging. That is an order." Simo Häyhä's grip tightened to emphasize his point.

Too battered to resist, he burned with failure. Retreating now agonized him. Alas, they could fight on no longer. A dead hero was no use to those who needed saving.

"I can stand. Please, let me," Aasaa resisted Simo Häyhä's hold. The Assassin obliged. Aasaa reinforced his limbs, preparing for their next move.

"Aasaa, I know how you're feeling. Retreating isn't the end. The path to becoming a hero is often winding," Hannes comforted.

"I cannot handle all of them at once Master. I can see three more summoning circles. They intend to summon more Servants," Simo Häyhä said.

Aasaa relented, recognizing the deteriorating situation. "Alright, we retreat."

"Retreat? You are in too deep now," Bram Nuada-Re said. "My leader will turn you to ash. As he did with your associates."

"My men died with honour. You will not," Hannes released a spray of bullets and rushed for the exit. Aasaa would have joined him, if not for Fezgrem encasing his feet in tiles plucked from the ground. Aasaa freed himself with an explosive gemstone, leaping to safety. He managed to see Fezgrem as he freed his feet. Apparently, Isilda grabbed him and forced him to cast that spell. From this, Aasaa came to the conclusion that the others forced Fezgrem into this conflict and saw him as a potential ally. Fezgrem's following glare of disdain towards Sircolia only confirmed that he hated him too.

"It is never so simple," a confident voice declared. "Let's see how you escape from this now."

Sircolia's hands glowed with rings of mana as he cast it. Now ready, he waved his hand and several discs formed in the surrounding space. Their light intensified, producing a high-pitched humming noise. Aasaa expected the discs to blast out beams of energy soon, aware of their behaviour. They tilted, taking aim at him. It reminded him of how Shirou would describe Gilgamesh's Gate of Babylon, with weapons being fired from disc shaped portals. Aasaa rose to counteract, for he sensed extraordinary power in this attack.

Aasaa reached into his pocket. Two gemstones left. Choosing the correct one, he then threw it at Sircolia. His eyes met the gemstone. However, he did not respond with a defensive spell, opting to follow through with his beams. This proved to be a gross underestimation, as the gemstone cracked open, and released a powder to nullify the discs. Sircolia raised his fist in frustration as his discs began to disintegrate, their power fading. This gave Aasaa the much-needed time to make his escape.

"I'll cover you. Go!" Simo Häyhä drew a combat knife, and put himself in the way of an explosive energy orb from Bram Nuada-Re. The blast which could rip a reinforced car did nothing to Simo Häyhä. He threw the knife at the energy orb to trigger the explosion early, so he would not be caught in the epicentre of the blast.

Aasaa fled toward the exit, taking a cursory glance to see if his enemies gave chase. He threw the last gemstone, which transformed into a floating eye. Simo Häyhä faded in and out of invisibility, releasing short bursts of fire. The Saber Servant launched himself forward to protect his allies, while they ducked for cover. With his foes on the defensive, Simo Häyhä made his escape.

"Saber, they're retreating. Return to me."

"Yes Master."

"Quickly now, summon your Servants," instructed Sircolia.

Sircolia, Fezgrem and Isilda got to their positions, and begin chanting. Not long after, the Saber Servant brought his sword to Fezgrem's neck.

"You! What are you doing?" he said.

Fezgrem dropped a dagger, originally poised to strike Sircolia from behind. He dodged the incoming attack. Waving his arm, the bricks of the wall behind him parted to form a hole in the wall, through which he made his escape.

Sircolia turned around and said, "Thank you, Saber, you live up to your honourable name." Turning to the hole in the wall, he said, "He made his choice. I'll take pleasure in hunting him down."

The Saber Servant introduced himself as Ragnar Lothbrok, aware of Sircolia's alliance with his Master.

Bram Nuada-Re noticed the absence of Gordafarid's helmet and alerted Sircolia.

"It will not help him against Genghis Khan."

Bram Nuada-Re walked out of the church, checking for signs of the enemy. The floating eye zapped him with a small beam of light, causing him to wince as the beam singed his flesh. Incensed by the attack, he reached for the eye. The eye sensed the approaching hands, and swivelled around. Facing the right angle, it aimed a beam at the pool of petrol under Hannes' shattered car, causing an explosion which blasted Bram Nuada-Re away. He cushioned the impact with Magecaft, though he still landed painfully on the ceramic floor. Groaning, he resorted to calling Ragnar Lothbrok to kill the floating eye. Sircolia stared with disbelief as he witnessed his lackey get outwitted by an eyeball.

Isilda completed her incantation while this went down. Her summoning circle glowed a fiery orange, as it emitted showers of sparks. A pillar of smoke formed at the centre, smelling strongly of gunpowder. A figure materialized at the centre, raising a torch in the air.

"Who stokes the fires of rebellion? Who will usher in the new order?" he bellowed.

The sounds of people shouting and screaming filled the room. With the torch, he ignited the smoke, causing it to erupt in a flash of fire.

"I will," the figure said, answering his own question, as the smoke cleared to reveal a man with rust-coloured hair. He sported a flowing moustache and a bushy beard, his hair reaching his shoulders. Dressed in 16th century clothing, he stood tall, powerfully built. Flintlock pistols were slung on his belt. Isilda stared at his data sheet, realizing she summoned an Avenger Servant.

* * *

**Guy Fawkes' Data Sheet **

**Class: Avenger **

**True Name: Guy Fawkes **

**Alignment: Chaotic Evil **

**Parameters **

**Strength: C **

**Endurance: E- **

**Agility: E **

**Mana: E **

**Luck: E**

**Class Skills**

**Avenger: A **

Guy Fawkes attempted to blow up the Protestant King James. For his crimes, he faced brutal torture and execution. A new festival, known as Guy Fawkes Night, was introduced to celebrate his downfall, earning him scorn and hatred from all. To this day, he remains a symbol of anarchy. He draws all this resentment into himself, and turns it into his strength, acting as fuel to the fires of his rebellion. Furthermore, he is contaminated by various representations of him in popular culture. This gave rise to an amalgamation who is insane, adopting no singular personality.

_**"When injustice becomes law, rebellion becomes duty."**_

**Charisma: A **

Guy Fawkes' fellow conspirators looked up to him with admiration. They regarded him as someone both intelligent and well-versed in matters pertaining to war. As a leader of rebellions, he also needed brilliant Charisma to stir the masses. He now stands as a beacon to all who seek anarchy and can rally hordes to do his bidding.

_**"Let me show you the firmness of my belief."**_

**Item Construction: B **

Guy Fawkes walked the tunnels and watched over the barrels of gunpowder as he worked on the Gunpowder Plot. He is gifted with the ability to construct tunnels and passageways form himself and those allied with him, and to create gunpowder explosives of varying degrees of strength.

_**"A desperate disease requires a dangerous remedy."**_

**Memory Correction: A **

Guy Fawkes poured his entire life into the Gunpowder Plot. When he was caught, he remained defiant to the end. Now he has returned, he burns with the desire to usurp the leaders of the current order and bring about an age of anarchy. His need for revenge is so great that those with low magic resistance are brainwashed and possessed, becoming followers of his cause. In the modern age, it causes Guy Fawkes' attacks to be effective against members of any government, and any item associated with government.

_**"Hate was all I knew. It built my world, imprisoned me... Taught me how to eat, how to drink, how to breathe."**_

**Self-Replenishment (Mana): B **

Guy Fawkes draws mana from the burning desire to achieve his revenge. Because he is a modern icon of anarchy, he lashes out at the idea of governance, and gains mana from it until his goal to destroy it all is achieved.

_**"Authority, when first detecting chaos at its heels, will entertain the vilest schemes to save its orderly facade."**_

**Personal Skills **

**It Is Easy to Kill A Man, But an Idea Never Dies: EX **

Guy Fawkes was executed over 400 years ago. However, he lives on in Guy Fawkes' masks, activist and rebel groups, and popular culture. No amount of torture or harm inflicted to his material body removed his legacy. The festival Guy Fawkes Night all but immortalized him. This manifests in the ability for Guy Fawkes to transfer his consciousness into that of anyone influenced by his Memory Correction, allowing him to persist even if his body is destroyed.

_**"Remember the idea, not the man. Because a man can fail; he can be caught, he can be killed and forgotten. But a hundred years later, an idea can still change the world."**_

**Noble Phantasm **

**Gunpowder Plot: Traitorous Tunnel Network/Blast That Ushers A New Era **

**D-Rank, Anti-Army**

This Noble Phantasm is an enhanced version of Guy Fawkes' Item Creation skill. It retells Guy Fawkes' attempt to blow up Parliament, granting him the ability to construct a network of tunnels. Afterwards, the second stage involves the creation of over forty barrels of gunpowder, that will destroy a large area if allowed to detonate. The tunnel networks allow Guy Fawkes to evade his foes and speed across vast distances, spreading chaos in his wake.

It is exceptionally vulnerable to interception and will ultimately fail if the explosives are destroyed or prevented from igniting.

_**"What were they for? To blow you back to your native mountains."**_

**Guy Fawkes Night **

**C-Rank, Anti-Unit and Anti-Unit Self **

Guy Fawkes will place a subdued Servant at the centre of a bonfire and set it ablaze. This mimics how effigies of Guy Fawkes are burnt on Guy Fawkes Night. When the Servant has been burned, Guy Fawkes will gain all that Servant's abilities and parameters.

It is limited in that it cannot be used on a Servant unless they have first been subdued or weakened to the point of being unable to resist. This makes it useless in most situations, unless Guy Fawkes has support or catches his foe off guard.

_**"Remember, remember,**_

_**the 5th of November;**_

_**The Gunpowder Treason and plot;**_

_**I see no reason why the Gunpowder Treason;**_

_**Should ever be forgot."**_

* * *

Puzzled, she asked, "Sircolia, this is not one of the 7 Classes."

"Yes. The Helsinki Grail was designed by my Family to open the path to the Root, for me to access the True Magic. The mana of 7 defeated Servants is required for this, not 6. Thus, this Grail War will have 8 Servants. Avenger is now the eighth Class."

"You said you will concede the Grail War once you restored it, as you claimed to only desire restoring the Grail Wars. What is the meaning of this? What wish do you have that requires reaching the Root?" Isilda asked.

"Oh, Isilda, did you really believe me? Of course, I have wishes I want to see fulfilled. My dreams go beyond any mortal desire. Therefore, a standard Grail War is unfit for me. I deserve better," Sircolia said.

"I would praise your cunning, but you seem to forget I have a Servant. Avenger, kill this magus." Isilda raised a threatening fist at Sircolia.

"Yes Master. May his world descend into anarchy." Guy Fawkes reached for his pistol.

"Saber, I want you to attack Avenger." Bram Nuada-Re pointed at Guy Fawkes.

"As you wish, Master." Ragnar Lothbrok raised his blade.

"Sircolia lied to us, he is participating in this war. He is our enemy," Isilda said.

"I am aware. I happen to have no wish of my own. If Sircolia's wish requires 7 dead Servants, whatever it is, it must be impressive beyond measure. I want to see it fulfilled, out of curiosity. Also, I intend to survive this war, and it seems swearing undying fidelity to the most powerful magus here is the best option."

"Very wise, you will be rewarded," Sircolia said.

"Avenger, we are retreating. Do you have any escape abilities?"

"Yes, Master. I do. Gunpowder Plot: Traitorous Tunnel Network!"

A tunnel formed beneath the ground. The sound of collapsing rocks filled the church, as the ground shuddered and parted. Bram Nuada-Re and Sircolia entered a defensive stance while Isilda and Guy Fawkes fled through the tunnel. Sircolia deduced the identity of Avenger upon hearing his Noble Phantasm.

"She summoned Guy Fawkes, failed instigator of a coup in the 16th century. He is a symbol of anarchy and rebellion in modern times," he said.

"Impressive deduction," Bram Nuada-Re praised. "You are safe now. Summon your Servant."

Sircolia placed the piece of Mongolian armour in the summoning circle, raised his hard forward and began his chant. Almost immediately, power accumulated, coursing through his veins as the air hastened around him. It swirled at irregular speeds, kicking up the dust from the rubble of the prior conflict. A small whirlwind formed, causing the hair and clothing of the two magi to dance in the wind. The inscriptions of the summoning circle glowed white, with a red outline. Bram Nuada-Re shielded his eyes from its searing intensity while Sircolia remained steadfast, continuing the summoning. His mouth twisted into a menacing grin, and his eyes glowed with confidence. Gale force winds rushed out of the summoning circle now. It carried the power of a thousand armies. As the summoning progressed and the swirling mana intensified, a man on horseback appeared at the centre of the summoning circle. Though not fully materialized, he already gave off a frightening presence. The energy he possessed towered above other Servants, as the blare of horns of war heralded the completion of his summoning. The ground beneath him began to crack and melt, as excess power flowed into it. The man's armour now formed, each piece glowing white, before cooling to yellow, then orange and finally red.

Clad in chain-mail and woven iron plates, the man had long black hair tied into a bun, his moustache and beard thin but long. A quiver and bow were slung across his back, and his hand held a scimitar. Its edge gleamed, shining immaculately under the filtered light entering from the church windows. He slipped an iron helmet over his head, with side and rear neck guards. His helmet ended in a metal tip at its centre, adorned with horsehair.

His face knew nothing besides determination, his eyes contained a hungry look in them, his posture indicated he could and wanted to rush into battle at a moment's notice. Despite owning a vast empire, this man desired far more, and his power allowed him to seek it.

"You," he asked, finger pointing at Sircolia, "Do you swear unwavering loyalty to the eternal Genghis Khan?"

"I do." Sircolia knelt before him, his hair touching the ground.

* * *

**Genghis Khan's Data Sheet **

**Class: Rider **

**True Name: Temujin **

**Alignment: Neutral Evil **

**Parameters **

**Strength: A **

**Endurance: EX **

**Agility: B**

**Mana: E **

**Luck: C**

**Class Skills **

**Rider: A **

Being a Mongolian warrior meant Genghis Khan was accustomed to fighting on horseback. He rode the plains for years, never falling in battle. No one could match him.

_**"Conquering the world on horseback is easy; it is dismounting and governing that is hard."**_

**Personal Skills **

**Mongke Koko Tengri the "Eternal Blue Sky": C**

Genghis Khan was declared by the leading shaman of the Mongol Empire to be the representative of Mongke Koko Tengri, the supreme god of the Mongols. With this declaration of divine status, it was accepted that his destiny was to rule the world. To defy the Great Khan was equal to defying the will of God. This grants Genghis Khan some measure of Divinity, allowing him to

_**"Heaven has appointed me to rule all the nations, for hitherto there has been no order upon the steppes."**_

**Clairvoyance: B **

Genghis Khan used a recurve bow on horseback. Though not a Noble Phantasm, it granted him a ranged method of attack, useful for finishing of a fleeing coward. This grants him eagle-eyed sight, allowing him to aim and fire his arrows with pin-point precision.

"_**An action committed in anger is an action doomed to failure."**_

**Noble Phantasm **

**Dragon Of The Golden Horde **

**A-Rank, Anti-Team **

Genghis Khan commands a ghostly dragon that spews forth molten iron. It can cover a group of enemies if they do not react in time. Iron was a key component in armour, weapons and technology of his era. The molten iron burns away at a Servant's mana and deals very high amounts of damage. However, creating molten iron to use as a weapon exerts a toll on his mana.

_**"It is not sufficient that I succeed. All others must fail."**_

**The Great Mongol Empire – A Hundred Hundreds**

**A-Rank, Anti-Country**

Genghis Khan's unification of the Mongol tribes created a united Mongol nation that prospered and conquered across Eurasia for the next several hundred years. His empire looked up to him as a "Universal Ruler", and saw him as a living incarnation of a god. The founding of the nation of Mongolia can be credited to him.

As a Heroic Spirit, Genghis Khan's entire Empire is his Noble Phantasm. With it, he can summon his warriors and generals provided he is supplied enough mana by his Master. They return to life, never tiring nor requiring nourishment. They also possess some magical prowess, being able to conceal themselves from non-magical humans outside combat and resist physical attacks. Up to 32 Mongolian Generals, and hundreds of thousands of troops, can be brought back from the dead.

The Mongol Empire is not limited to just soldiers, but the resources, equipment and weapons as well. Genghis Khan can manifest the logistics and armaments to fuel and equip entire armies. In life, he owed his many victories to being able to keep his forces well supplied and equipped. Whether it through overwhelming onslaught or tactical attrition, Genghis Khan's invasions were unstoppable. He was also extremely resourceful, finding ways to make use of the items available to him to overcome any obstacle.

This Noble Phantasm is extremely costly to use on a large scale, as most Masters will be drained from summoning more than a few Generals and an army of several thousand, along with the resources to equip them.

_**"We make the same sacrifices, and we share our riches. I provide for my soldiers as though they were my brothers."**_

**Flail Of God **

**EX-Rank, Anti-Fortress (Restricted) **

Genghis Khan sieged countless enemy fortifications in life, as he led a seemingly endless conquest across Asia. Unstoppable in his time, Genghis Khan declared himself the divine "Flail Of God". Now, this grants him the power to destroy any construct or structure, Divine or otherwise. He can also use this on Territory Creation and Item Construction. If it meets an individual, such as a Servant, no damage would be inflicted, though any defensive enchantments or Noble Phantasms applied to them will be removed for a few minutes.

It is EX-Rank due to it being the concept of an unstoppable siege. The outcome of such a siege will always be the collapse of the defences. To achieve this, it alters the very fabric of reality to break down the targeted structure. It cannot affect anything not a structure or construct and does no direct harm to Servants or people. Falling rubble from the destroyed structure can still cause damage.

_**"I am the flail of god. Had you not committed great sins, God would not have sent a punishment like me upon you."**_

**Sole Ruler Of The Plains **

**B-Rank, Anti-Unit **

Genghis Khan's Scimitar received this name, as it functioned as an extension of his will to conquer all. Genghis Khan can activate it to smash the area in front of him with his scimitar, shattering anything caught in the impact. It can break lesser Noble Phantasms.

_**"A man's greatest joy is crushing his enemies."**_

**Man Of Iron **

**EX-Rank, Anti-Unit (Self) **

Genghis Khan never lost in combat, and never sustained an injury from deliberate action by his enemies. His cause of death was assumed to be caused by falling off his horse. Never harmed by the deliberate action of anyone in his life, it now manifests as a nigh impenetrable defensive Noble Phantasm that protects Genghis Khan from all deliberately caused damage. It draws inspiration from Genghis Khan's own name, Temujin, which can be translated to "Man Of Iron". It drains mana whenever damage is prevented, and Genghis Khan can still suffer accidental or self-inflicted damage.

"_**In the space of seven years I have succeeded in uniting the whole world in one Empire."**_

**Bloodless Victory **

**A-Rank, Anti-Unit **

Genghis Khan always offered his enemy a chance to join him without bloodshed. They need only submit to his rule and in exchange, they would be spared. Thus, Genghis Khan gained the ability to cause any Servant to break their pact with their current Master and submit to his Master instead. This works by converting one of the Command Seals that bind Genghis Khan to his Master into that of the targeted Servant. If allowed to complete, all Command Seals on that Servant's original Master would be consumed.

This can be prevented by the targeted Servant's Master issuing a command for their Servant to resist Genghis Khan. The Command Seal Genghis Khan attempted to convert would be lost as a result. Genghis Khan can only use this Noble Phantasm at the start of an encounter. Once an attack is made by either party, this is no longer usable until combat ceases.

_**"All who surrender will be spared; whoever does not surrender but opposes with struggle and dissension, shall be annihilated."**_

* * *

Sircolia and Bram Nuada-Re created a bounded field around Helsinki Old Church. They claimed it as their base of operations.

"Bram Nuada-Re, I will hunt our enemies personally. You are tasked with scouting and watching over this place," Sircolia said

"Sir, what of the resources and tools? I can salvage some from the catacombs below, though we will need more."

"Resources? An army thrives on being adequately supplied and equipped. So long as you fight by my side and uphold loyalty, I will provide for you as I would do for my own Family," declared Genghis Khan.

He raised his scimitar and used his Item Construction to produce food, leather canteens, weapons, armour, rope, paper, navigation equipment, firewood, and fur blankets.

"These may be humble to those accustomed to the modern world, but I came from the Barbaric North. I wear the same clothing and eat the same food as the cowherds and horse-herders and do so proudly."

Sircolia did not resent the items produced. His reached out to touch them, seeing the quality of their make. They were well-made, by skilled hands, despite appearing rough. He smiled, impressed.

"Is this the best you can offer your Master? He deserves more than the clothing and food of cow-herds," complained Bram Nuada-Re.

"Fool, did you not hear what I just said? Too decadent an existence is frowned upon by the heavens!"

"Bram Nuada-Re, you will accept my Servant's gifts gladly, they are produced by my mana anyway."

He turned to Genghis Khan and apologized to him on Bram Nuada-Re's behalf. Bram Nuada-Re was appalled to see his leader show such respect to his own Servant. Nevertheless, he remained quiet for now.

Genghis Khan moved to the centre of the church, found himself an elevated position, and raised his weapon. It glowed red, and Mongolian warriors began to materialize. They raised their weapons, cheering for their Khan.

"My global conquest begins! For I have returned, and I can wait no longer. I will finish what I started."

Sircolia and Bram Nuada-Re observed in silent admiration, their victory assured.


	8. Chapter 8

**3rd Author's Note:**

Time to introduce a new character. I made this chapter short to compartmentalize it from the next one (coming tomorrow!), where more familiar characters come in to the picture.

Thank you everyone for continuing to read my fanfic. :)

* * *

**Chapter 8: The Nomura Family**

**(Shiori Nomura's Perspective)**

**(Day 1 of the Helsinki Grail War)**

"Hey Dad, I'm home!" Shiori greeted, closing the door behind her. She sported shoulder-length black hair, with several bangs that reached past her eyebrows. Her roundish porcelain face ended in a pointed chin. Her turquoise eyes contained a contagious joy. The sight of them painted a ray of sunshine all over Eijiro's face.

The Nomura Magus Family lived in a respectable house in the former outskirts of Helsinki. When they first moved here, their surroundings resembled a countryside, with sporadic buildings. Helsinki underwent much development since then. Their now lived at the centre of a budding concrete forest, with a new skyscraper joining the skyline every year or so.

"How did your day go?" Eijiro turned to face his daughter. He sat on a cosy armchair, feet nestled in fur slippers. Many years had passed since he arrived in Finland. Now old and tired, the only spending time with his beloved daughter could elicit a burst of energy from him.

"Well, pretty average day, tended to some cases in the ER, and then help the doctors with medical check-ups." Shiori placed her satchel on the chair, careful not to scratch its light grey skin. She chose to live as a non-magus, hence her non-magical profession. Her Family had weak Magic Circuits anyway, and the magical world offered her nothing.

They were in the living room, a neat spacious area decorated with cheap but pleasing decor. Two sofas and an armchair were placed against the walls, and several shelves of books and other items filled in the gaps. A television stood as the centre-piece. It was a room of contradictions, for it appeared spotless, yet they typically put in little effort to clean it. Their room gave off the serene charm of an upmarket lodging, yet in actuality, Shiori found ways to acquire all its fixtures and decorations for a fraction of the expected price. Her success came from successful DIY projects by Shiori. Despite all this, the room lacked a certain element - excitement of any type.

Shiori walked past a shelf displaying Family pictures and memorabilia, and glanced at a picture of her parent's old home, taken on their last day there, when Lord El-Melloi The Second and Hannes ordered them to move. The two of them were Family friends, yet they hid much from Shiori's Family. They used to live near Helsinki Old Church, when the Clocktower started a major project, and asked them to leave. Lord El-Melloi The Second gave them a better house, plus a generous monthly stipend, in exchange for moving. Since then, they enjoyed a peaceful and privileged existence. His help allowed her father, a Clocktower exile, to raise a child. Hannes, a funny old man, handled the magus matters. He never explained his job in detail, always claiming it to be of "grave importance". Shiori had long since given up on trying to figure out his mysterious job, and focused on enjoying her peaceful existence under Lord El-Melloi The Second's protection.

Speaking of them, they had not visited for a while. Shiori guessed they were too busy attending to their covert operations, a polar opposite to the mundane lifestyle of her Family. She looked up to them on a surface level, though she contained no desire to be one of the heroic ones, who always put themselves at danger, crawling through challenges and hardships. She treasured serenity, a safe, loving Family, and a warm bed to rest on. Oh, and coffee, lots and lots of coffee.

"Looks like you had an eventful day, you're doing great sweetheart." Eijiro smiled as he saw the watch he gave his daughter on her graduation day. It symbolized her career's progress, a source of Family pride.

"Nothing can be as eventful as the time a man came in with a light bulb up his-" Shiori joked as she went to brew herself a cup of coffee. She had a self-diagnosed condition where she needed least 3 cups a day, or she might die. Well, not die, but suffer bouts of grouchiness, then crying, followed by wallowing in self-pity and staring at the ceiling while lying in bed. Maybe that was a tad exaggerated, but the point was, coffee was part of her existence. She returned with a hot cup of coffee when the doorbell rang.

"Who could it be?" Eijiro wondered. "No one visits us. Except for those two." He turned towards the door, secretly glad Shiori could answer the door, so he would not have to burden his creaky joints.

Shiori opened the door, looking through the widening slit before opening completely. In front of her panted a dishevelled Hannes supported by a Japanese man. They were covered in perspiration, and their clothes stained with soot and dust. She notified her father at once. Upon hearing Hannes' name, Eijiro invited them in.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9: Haven**

**(Day 1 of the Helsinki Grail War)**

"What happened to you Hannes? And who is he?" Eijiro asked. He turned to Shiori and asked her to fetch her mother.

"Long story old friend. Let me organize myself and I will explain. This is Aasaa by the way."

"Can we trust them?" Aasaa took in the living room's features, trying to piece together the situation.

"Yea, I didn't tell you about them I didn't deem it necessary earlier. Well, now we need their help." Hannes smiled at Eijiro. Aasaa noticed how their hosts were comfortable with Hannes, and concluded they were close friends.

"When we secured the Helsinki Grail, we moved all the magus families from Helsinki, except for the Nomura Family. We just moved them away from the church area, as-" Hannes slowed to a whisper. "Their bloodline posed no threat."

Aasaa noted how he whispered the last part. It basically implied the Nomura Family had next to no Circuits, and did not possess potent Magecraft. Yet, Hannes chose to bring him here.

Hannes explained their situation to the Nomura Family, Shiori and her mother, Kaisu, a Finnish native joined Eijiro. After Hannes finished, Aasaa introduced himself to Shiori and Kaisu. They exchanged stiff smiles, and then silence.

"Your name, you are a member of a founding Family. The Tohsakas. Why haven't you rushed to participate in the Grail War?" Eijiro turned to Aasaa.

"Much has changed for my Family. We no longer wish for the Grail Wars continue," Aasaa explained to his host. He noticed how Eijiro stiffened when he heard the name 'Tohsaka'. Many magi the met gave him respect just because he carried the name, something he would never get used to.

Hannes turned to what appeared to be a blank space and said, "Simuna, materialize."

"Yes, Master."

Kaisu recognized the man immediately. The hero of the Winter War stood before her. She saw the unmistakable scarring on the White Death's cheek, a testament to his sacrifice for his nation.

"Simo Häyhä?"

The man with the missing left check and a wide, friendly smile nodded. He shook Kaisu's hand and explained his involvement. Aasaa noted how the Nomuras did not know about Simo Häyhä. Perhaps he overestimated how close they were. The gaps in their knowledge indicated Hannes did not deem it necessary to tell them until now. He began to wonder more about Hannes' secrets.

"It is paramount we defeat those magi, they know only war and destruction. The safety of Suomi depends on it." Simo Häyhä continued, explaining to them a Grail War had begun.

"Suomi means Finland," said Kaisu to Aasaa who did not understand.

Simo Häyhä re-entered spirit form to take vigil over the house, his form fading into a white blur before he concealed himself. "Apologies for my quick departure. Our enemies pursue us, and I must stand guard in case they arrive."

"Well, we know there are at least four enemy Servants. To stand a fighting chance, we need to summon more Servants. Aasaa will be a Master, the Command Seals have formed on his hand." Hannes showed them Aasaa's hand, before turning to Eijiro. "How about you guys? Any Masters among you?"

"I doubt it, my Circuits are damaged, and my wife is only able to perform the most basic mage-craft."

"What about your daughter?"

"I don't want to be involved in the Grail Wars. I'm only a novice," Shiori insisted. She fought with timid conviction to protect her precious life.

"I will not send her. I finally got my life back together. If she dies, I will be shattered," Eijiro brought his arm around his daughter.

"We need as many Masters as possible. Who knows what wishes those magi have?" Aasaa paused, noticing fear in Shiori's voice. His words triggered her to go on the defensive. He recalled Hannes' information on the Nomura Family's lack of Circuits. Fighting would be suicide for them.

"We will aid you. But I cannot send my Family to war. I will never forgive myself," Eijiro said.

Aasaa drew connections between Eijiro and his father. Eijiro dearly loved his Family. He no longer kept his guard up, the familiar warmth of a parent's protective instincts calmed him. To him the Nomuras were just good people trying to avoid danger, and he could respect their decision. Discussing the brutal Grail Wars with civilians who had no combat experience caused them immense stress.

"Hannes, they don't want to help, and we can't force them. What of the magus your associates detained in Helsinki?" Aasaa decided to change the topic.

"They are bringing her over."

"The other magi are not going to free her?"

"The Grail War has begun. One less Master, the better for them." Hannes sighed after he spoke, his words silencing Aasaa, reminding him of the ruthlessness some magi displayed.

"Eijiro, Aasaa and I will set up bounded fields around your house. We need to use your house as our base of operations. Simo Häyhä will stand guard. I hope you are permit us."

"It will certainly involve us in the conflict, but I think we are safe in your hands."

"If we are attacked, I will command Simuna to ensure your safety is prioritized," Hannes promised.

Aasaa realized he misjudged Hannes. He assumed someone who devoted his life to defending the Helsinki Grail would be an emotionless machine, prioritizing the most logical course of action. Hannes, apparently, still cared.

"I know your look. You are sizing me up, deciding on what kind of person I am." Hannes whispered to Aasaa, who stopped, amazed at his ability to read him.

"Yea, you prioritized their safety. I now know what kind of person you are. I would do the same."

"Don't credit me. Lord El-Melloi The Second would have ensured they were safe before anything else. He may seem cold, ruthless, but always did the right thing."

Aasaa could say the same thing for Hannes.

Hannes continued to discuss with Eijiro while Aasaa remained silent, listening. Hannes considered aloud the prospect of Command Seals forming on one of the Nomura Family members' hands, as the last magus to fill up the slots needed. Apparently, it would choose even barely capable magi when no other candidate was available, and Finland had exceptionally few magi. Their Family could well be the only candidate. He outlined a contingency for such a scenario, Eijiro remained resistant, until Hannes started appealing to him the prospect of using the Grail War to earn the Nomura's Family a great deal of recognition with the Mages' Association.

Aasaa understood. His father, Shirou, became the victim of the Helsinki Grail choosing any magus it could find to fill the roster. He hoped Hannes would avoid mentioning it, since the ordeal flustered their hosts. As expected, Shiori's countenance stiffened.

"Shiori, are you alright?" Kaisu asked.

"I will not accept this, I will not be dragged into the Grail War," Shiori pointed accusingly at Hannes. "You failed to defend the Helsinki Grail, and now you want to drag my Family in? By harbouring you, we are now in danger as well."

Taken aback by her outburst, Hannes tried to explain himself but Shiori continued. "I value my Family's safety far beyond anything in this world. Yet you still want to recruit me for your Grail War. I won't fight, you know, I can't do this to my mother and father."

Shiori made a valid point regarding what their actions. However, she treated them unfairly. They were the ones fighting a Grail War to protect people like her. He found it justified for them to take a much-needed breather at her house.

He attempted to reply but Hannes stopped him. "Now is not the time to argue."

Aasaa nodded, taking a short moment to stare at Shiori, finding her outburst unjust.

"Sweetheart, I understand where you are coming from," Eijiro said, attempting to console her. "They are the good guys. They are fighting to protect others."

"I find them irresponsible," she pouted, folding her arms and tilting her head up, away from them.

"They need our help, and the cost of us helping them is lesser than the cost incurred when the Grail War descends into chaos, please understand," he said.

Shiori remained silent. Aasaa detected conflict within her.

"I'm sorry Shiori. This Grail War is our fault, as we failed to stop the other magi. We are not heroes, we are just trying to fix our mistakes," Aasaa said, hoping to console her.

Shiori tried to protest, though she gave up and glared at the intruders.

"It's alright," Aasaa said, "Ultimately, it's natural to desire your own safety."

"We will shelter you for the night so Aasaa can summon his Servant," Eijiro said, trying to defuse the situation.

"My associates are arriving with her in 30 minutes. I will prepare the summoning now," Hannes said.

"Shiori, help your mother prepare dinner, our dining room will be full tonight."

"Sheesh, coming to our house, threatening us with a war, now eating our food..." she said as she took her leave with Kaisu who tried to hide her face.

Aasaa winced at her reaction. Logically, they were right, and Shiori understood. Those magi needed to be stopped. Her whining revealed deep reservations against risking her life. He turned his attention to helping Hannes with the planning, reflecting on Shiori. He found it a challenge to relate to her, as she did not believe in the same heroic ideals. In the end, Shiori wanted personal safety, a reasonable desire, and he found fault in that.


	10. Chapter 10

**4th Author's Note:**

**Thank you everyone for your support! Chapter 11 goes up on Friday. The Grail War is about to start.**

* * *

**Chapter 10: Blurred Lines**

**(Day 1 of the Helsinki Grail War)**

Two men and an unconscious woman arrived at Eijiro's house. One of the men opened a small pouch to reveal the items found on the woman's person at the time of her detainment. Inside was a half-eaten white chocolate bar, 11 empty wrappers of said white chocolate bar, and an old book. The number of chocolate wrappers amused Aasaa as he picked up the book for further examination. They arrived at the same conclusion after they made out its faded title. A catalyst.

"Looks like this magus is planning to summon Don Quixote," commented Hannes. He plopped the book on the ground, his disdain for Sircolia's co-conspirator showing.

They placed the woman on Eijiro's armchair, while Hannes moved some furniture over to make a makeshift interrogation room. Finding the whole procedure exhausting and overly dramatic, Aasaa sat on one of the sofas while Eijiro observed them from a distance.

He suspected the woman held a high position among Sircolia's followers. Sound asleep due to a spell, her nose making slight twitches as she drooled. She resembled a sleeping child, which Aasaa found most unfitting for a close ally of Sircolia probably committed unspeakable evils in his name. Thus, he could not understand why a concern for her had germinated within him. She looked young and innocent, incapable of hurting a fly. While Hannes and the others were discussing how appearances can be deceiving, Aasaa expressed concern that she might be a pawn, caught up in Sircolia's web of schemes, and they should thus go easy on her until they find out the exact situation.

"Nonsense Aasaa," Hannes said when Aasaa suggested she could be a pawn. "We go with what's more likely. She crossed into Helsinki without permission, and has a catalyst."

Hannes' words were drenched in pain from losing most of his friends and associates. His patience and mercy for this person grew hair-thin. Aasaa saw his rising temper, and warned Hannes against interrogate her in such a state, given his bias against her.

_It would not be fair, she would suffer._

Hannes brushed Aasaa's words aside, and insisting he would speak first. He suggested a cruel punishment in the meantime. "We could threaten her with the fate of being turned into an immobile, defenceless, but still living pile of flesh, or some other terrifying equivalent to force out information on Sircolia's plans."

"No way, that's sick," Aasaa said, struggling to say any more. Hannes' gruesome thoughts were the cause of his turbulent emotions. It scared Aasaa.

"So is killing 40 over people." Hannes glowered at her, slamming his foot on the ground.

"It wasn't her-" Aasaa took one more glance at her, reaffirming to himself that she was a pawn. "I don't like where this is going," Aasaa said. "Just promise me you don't strangle her in a fit of anger."

"Too merciful a death if you asked me."

"Hannes!" Aasaa tried to restrain him.

"If you insist, I'll be professional about it."

"Are you sure?"

Hannes did not reply.

Misa stirred awake as they lifted the spell on her. Aasaa observed her while Hannes prepared to question her. She realized her pouch was missing. Eyeing her captors with the indignation of a captured bird, she tried to demand the return of her precious catalyst. Hannes cut her off, stepping closer to her with several quick strides.

"I am Hannes. Who are you?" The loud tapping of knuckles on the table brought before Misa's chair filled the air with deafening tension.

"Misa Sajyou, I-"

"Misa, you are in league with the magi aiming to seize the Helsinki Grail and start a Grail War, yes?"

"Yes. I presume you intend to oppose them. What am I being detained-" she asked.

Hannes spoke quickly and firmly. "You are under interrogation for your involvement in the plot to reactivate the Grail Wars, and the assassination of Lord El-Melloi The Second. He died a few days prior, his life's greatest work was the guarding of the Helsinki Grail."

Aasaa wondered if guarding the Helsinki Grail was indeed Lord El-Melloi The Second's greatest work. Probably not, though he inferred from this statement that Hannes truly respected him.

He slammed the table and gestured with accusations and rage. "Within days, you and your allies showed up in Helsinki. It cannot be a coincidence, so do not insult our intelligence. Confess, and tell us what you know."

Aasaa watched this unfold, ready to step in at any moment. The interrogation only just started, and Hannes struggled to fight back the ever-growing urge to strangle her. Misa could sense it too. She recoiled in fear, the fine hairs on her neck raised, the breath sucked from her.

Hannes continued to question her, he used logic and surface level information from various sources combined with a confident tone to give her the impression that he knew a lot about the situation. He made smart guesses and filled in the gaps with her confessions. It convinced Misa she had no hope fooling him. She relented. Aasaa noted how Hannes intimidated her into believing that confessing was in her best interests. She revealed details on Sircolia and the others, and the catalysts they carried. She also recounted the past few days leading up to the incident. Whenever she spoke, Hannes would reply with information of his own.

Aasaa stood nearer to the two of them now. He did not want to see this defenceless person, a person he regarded as a mostly innocent pawn, suffer during Hannes' questioning. It did not sit right with him, and yet the facts were true. They proved her involvement in Sircolia's plot, and she had vital information they needed. In her state, she gave up all they needed and more. He found such tactics disgusting, it preyed on her weaknesses and fears.

"We want you to summon your Servant, and then aid us in stopping them. The Grail War has already begun, those magi are now your enemies," Hannes said.

"I...w-would...how c-can I believe..." Misa spoke incoherently. Aasaa could see her breaking out into a cold sweat. Her eyes darted around, as she trembled. Aasaa felt pity for her, but Hannes continued to wear her down, like a pickaxe chipping away at her last remnants of composure.

"You were involved in the murder of my associates, and the fall of my headquarters. Your former allies see you as a rival magus. You got nowhere to run. Since you gave us everything, you are worthless to us now. In fact, your continued existence threatens our safety." Hannes got up and rushed at her.

Stop it Hannes!" shouted Aasaa, stepping forward from his position. He placed his hand on his shoulder to calm him. Hannes responded with agitation, protesting his interference.

"Look at your right-hand Hannes."

Hannes realized that his hand came close to Misa's neck.

"I hate to spell it out for you, it makes me sound so ruthless, but people's lives are threatened now. You hurt people and you deserve this," he finished, putting his hand away.

Misa hung her head low, her eyes were closed. Aasaa felt pity for her.

_Doing such things is not heroic at all._

"Hannes. Enough. Let me try." Aasaa stepped forward and put his arm between Hannes and Misa. He had seen enough. Misa's tears streamed down her ashen face. She breathed nasally. It pained him to see people suffering, and worse still, his friend inflicted that suffering to her. Hannes dropped several notches as a hero in his eyes.

"I am Aasaa Emiya. I know you want to participate in the Grail War."

Misa nodded, avoiding Aasaa's gaze. Aasaa could tell she regretted her actions. He found it easier to sympathize with her, as she recognized her wrongdoings. Aasaa hoped she would find redemption. He decided to make her at ease by comforting her.

"I am not here to hurt you. I don't want to see you suffer. You may respect Sircolia, but he is ruthless. He thinks you expendable. Why else would he make you the decoy?"

Misa looked at him now, a sudden realization flashed across her face.

" I'm sorry for hurting you. Listen to me, I'll help you get out of this," Aasaa continued.

"Okay, so what do I do now? What's going to happen?" She tried to sound calmer now, Aasaa did his best to make her at ease, and to dull the sharpness of Hannes' piercing accusations, which were painfully true. Misa turned to Aasaa in her current state. He could not fail her now.

"Firstly, there is a chance for redemption. You can still fight your Grail War, on our side," Aasaa said.

Aasaa took a deep breath before continuing. He wondered if he should reveal this next part.

"Now, please do not think yourself inferior as I tell you this, but Hannes used an array of intimidation and manipulative tactics on you, and I'm sorry you went through that.

Misa nodded dumbly.

"Him threatening you like that was unacceptable. I assure you he is much kinder, but he had it tough recently, losing over 40 of his closest friends because of Sircolia's actions. They were like Family to him."

Misa gasped as she heard the news. She began to whisper to herself, in self-condemnation, for indirectly causing their deaths.

"So when you find it in you, please forgive him. Sircolia and his magi have summoned 4 Servants, and we are in terrible shape. While it doesn't excuse us of our actions, we required vital info from you, so we can make it right."

Aasaa strained as he said this. He justified Hannes' actions whilst being disgusted by them. He felt conflicted, Misa seemed to be reflecting on what he told her.

"So, you have a very good opinion of Sircolia right?" Aasaa asked.

"Yes, he vowed to not murder anyone at the start of our mission," Misa said.

"Newsflash, over 40 dead because of him, thanks a lot," Hannes said. "I suppose he keeps his word and promises to protect you all the time. Where are you now?"

"I'm responsible for-for all this? I caused all his friends to die?"

"No, no. It wasn't your fault-"

"Yes it was," Hannes chimed in.

"No. The others did that," Aasaa said, trying to soften the blow.

"And the Mage's Association will be hunting me now too. My life-" She paused, and lowered her head, her hair covering her face. "Is over." Misa began to cry.

She held deep regret for her actions, and never expected things to turn out this way. The weight of the realization overwhelmed her. Aasaa tried to comfort her again, promising to help her fix everything. He cut her restraints and gave her some tissue to wipe her tears. Hannes twitched to stop Aasaa but did not follow through. Aasaa turned to him and saw his expression. Hannes seemed conflicted, unable to find the heart to continue acting cruelly towards her. Aasaa found this reassuring, as deep beneath Hannes' hatred, kindness still lived.

After Misa had calmed down, Aasaa handed her Don Quixote's book, and her half-eaten white chocolate bar, along with the pouch. He noted the absence of weapons, or anything of particular use on a mission to be a decoy. This only further confirmed his suspicion that they dealt with a novice, who did not fully grasp the situation.

"It's my only option," Misa said, voice filled with a fragile determination, "I will summon my Servant, and fight for my redemption."

"You will summon your Servant after Aasaa. No funny business," Hannes said. "Also, I'm putting device on you, which will short out your Magic Circuits if you attempt to betray us. This is for our safety."

"Hannes, she's not an animal you know," Aasaa protested. "I will not allow her to be used as our weapon or tool. This is cowardly."

"I am doing this for our safety. What am I supposed to do if she attacked you, and I have to go to London to tell your parents you died because I listened to you and abandoned safety measures?"

Misa tried to convince Hannes that she irrevocably placed her loyalties with them, but Aasaa told her to save it, as Hannes made a point. She nodded and remained quiet.

"Promise me you will release her from this moment you are certain she is not a threat. It is demeaning. Please." Aasaa said. He knew Hannes had a point, logically. They only knew Misa for about an hour, they could not be certain about her trustworthiness yet. However, his instincts screamed so. He knew it to be true. He wanted to believe it.

"I'm sorry Aasaa, I am staining the name of a hero with my actions, but they are necessary. This is a different kind of courage." Hannes placing the device around Misa's neck. Misa looked at him sadly as he did, causing him to sigh.

"I guess it must be done. Sorry Misa, this is the best I can do." Aasaa lowered his head, judging himself.

He missed having a clear definition for what was right and wrong. 1 day into being a real hero, and the lines between them blurred, smudged by their trials. He hated this feeling and decided to follow his morals from now on.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11: The Unwilling Participant **

**(Day 1 of the Helsinki Grail War) **

Aasaa studied the list of enemy Master and Servants Misa provided them. He now matched their abilities to their names, recalling the fight at the Old Church. He essentially knew what everyone could do at this point, though Misa admitted she only knew a few of Sircolia's abilities, as he kept the others a secret.

He scribbled on a piece of paper some information Misa gave him:

_Bram Nuada-Re - Servant: Ragnar Lothbrok_

_Fezgrem Vor Sembren - Servant: Gordafarid_

_Sircolia Wodime - Servant: Genghis Khan_

Aasaa's eyes stopped blinking at the sight of the last Servant's name. He gaped at the list, his fingers twitching as his heart began to palpitate. The more famous and impressive a heroic spirit, the more powerful they become as a Servant. Just about anyone knew and revered Genghis Khan, and he ruled the largest empire in the world. At the height of his power, his army redefined war and governance. Aasaa shuddered to think of the kind of Noble Phantasms someone like him would manifest. He estimated that Genghis Khan would probably match King Artoria or Iskandar The Great in power, though he did not exclude other possibilities prepared to be mistaken, as Servants were often unpredictable. Aasaa even considered the chance of Genghis Khan being a female. However, Aasaa decided that Genghis Khan's motives were more threatening than his power. He conquered and butchered his way across Asia and Eastern Europe. He was ruthless and merciless, and desired to rule. Aasaa deduced that such a Servant would not hesitate to kill and destroy anything in his path. He made a short mental list of Genghis Khan's possible desires, based on widely known information surrounding him, and came to the conclusion it most likely involved world domination.

Hannes concurred with most of Aasaa's speculations after some research. He clapped his hands together and told Aasaa to get to work with the summoning, now they knew what they were up against.

Later, Aasaa stood before his summoning circle, and issued a warning to everyone to stand back. Misa leaned against the wall, still massaging her wrists where the restraints once bit into. Shaken from the interrogation, she glanced around, hunched over, occasionally shivering. Aasaa decided to tend to her later, but first, the summoning.

Aasaa readied himself, one the verge of living out one of his dreams. The dire circumstances dampened his thrill thought. He wondered if all Masters had this feeling when summoning their Servants.

"Wait." Eijiro paused everyone. "I want to let Shiori and Kaisu see this, my descriptions can never do this ritual justice."

"Sure." Aasaa held off the anticipation for a little longer.

Meanwhile, Shiori and Kaisu prepared dinner when blood beginning to flow from Shiori's hand. She dropped a bundle of spaghetti she planned to boil. They fell to the floor, fanning out from the neat bundle as they landed. Droplets of blood joined them, staining them red. Shiori inspected her hand, unsure of where the blood flowed from as she did not detect pain. Her instincts kicked in as she sought to stop the bleeding as quickly as possible. Using her healthcare knowledge, she evaluated the rate of bleeding and the colour of her blood. She decided it to be non-life threatening.

"Mother," she called out, shocked.

"Oh no, did you cut yourself?"

"No, I didn't use the knife."

"Shiori, Kaisu, come out and see the summoning, this is a rare sight. After this they will be on their way," chimed Eijiro's voice from the living room.

"Give us a moment."

Eijiro entered the kitchen, and saw his daughter wiping away blood from her hand. His eyes widened with concern. "What happened?"

"Blood suddenly started flowing from her hand." Kaisu placed a reassuring hand on Shiori's back.

"Will I be alright?" Shiori's voice trembled. She clutched her arm, applying pressure.

"Come out, we can ask the others." Eijiro examined her wound and directed her out. "Don't worry, I will ensure you are safe."

"Aasaa, Hannes, Shiori's hand started bleeding. No wound, and yet blood just appeared," Eijiro said, footsteps quickening.

"That sounds like what happened to my father in the Fifth Grail War. Soon after, Command Seals appeared on his hand," Aasaa answered. Once again, he was proud to be the son of such experienced parents.

"Does that mean Shiori has been chosen by the Helsinki Grail?" Eijiro's voice quivered. Aasaa understood his fear for his daughter.

"There's no way to stop it." Aasaa stared at the blood. "Hannes, your contingency must be activated."

"Well, if she's chosen by the Grail, we have no choice." Hannes got up to take a closer look.

"What do we do now?" Eijiro's hands rubbed the sides of his head. He turned to Shiori, who was listening to Aasaa speak. Anxiety paralysed her.

"She will have to summon her Servant. Better do it now while we have control over the circumstances," Hannes examined Shiori's hand.

"I'm going to be a Master? No, I don't want to! I don't want this. Why me?" Shiori sputtered. "Father, what will we do now? How am I going to fix this?"

Aasaa's heart went out to Shiori's panic. This must be how his father felt. He approached her and began to speak in a calm, soothing tone.

"We can help," he offered. "Summon your Servant, trust their combat instincts, and we will protect you. You aren't alone here."

"I don't know anything about combat, what will I do against elite magi?"

"It's fine. Okay it isn't ideal. But my father found himself in the same situation, and he made it out alive because his friends were by his side. We are here for you," Aasaa assured.

"Eijiro, please explain this to me, what is going to happen to our daughter? You told me about this before, but not in such detail," Kaisu's worried eyes met Eijiro's.

"Excuse me, let me speak to my daughter and my wife first, in private," said Eijiro, as they begin to take their leave.

"Go ahead." Hannes motioned Aasaa to come with him to discuss matters. "Anything to make this easier for you all."

Aasaa and Hannes discussed the contingency from earlier, while waiting for the Nomuras to finish.

"Well, we must protect her. That's for sure." Hannes sighed. "I'll leave it to you if you want to be the 'heart' of this group, you have the rare ability to see the best in people."

"Thanks Hannes, I will do my best to help her." Aasaa paused before continuing, "Err, about just now, our argument."

"Don't worry about it, I won't blame you at all. If anything, I should be sorry for not explaining to you about what I planned to do before I did."

"You mean your interrogation tactics?"

"I followed some guidelines. Basic stuff, I would rather use that over torture any day."

"Well, it seems while we both have similar motivations, our methods may never see eye to eye," Aasaa concluded.

"On the contrary, you helped her recover from it, and she even joined us," Hannes pat Aasaa on the back. "Maybe you know something I don't."

Aasaa agreed. He could feel the tension between them easing.

While Aasaa and Hannes smoothed things over, the Nomuras discussed the next course of action. Their expressions were all stern. Fear and uncertainty gripped them as they spoke.

"Kaisu, Shiori has been chosen by the Helsinki Grail to be a Master. She's forced to summon her Servant and participate. The Helsinki Grail will only strengthen over time. It will find any and all means to eventually summon a Servant, and the other Masters and Servants will attack her." Eijiro turned to his daughter. "Shiori, what do you think? We will do our best to support you."

"Father, mother, you need to go, if the Grail War is as you say, you can't be here, it's too dangerous," Shiori said. She wanted to protect her family at all costs, and since she could not avoid the Grail War now, it was for the best if at least her parents were safe.

"I will not abandon my daughter." Kaisu held Eijiro's hand. "When I married your father, I understood and accepted the risks of joining the world of magi. I never wished for this, but I will not allow it to hurt our family."

Kaisu hugged her daughter. "Shiori, fight the Grail War, and protect yourself. We will stay in the bounded field, where it is safe."

"I don't think I will make it. I am only an amateur compared to the other magi," Shiori clasped her hands around her ears and shook her head. Another bout of panic sprang forth. "I don't see how a novice could survive an encounter with an elite magus or earn the respect of a great historical figure. It is almost a death sentence."

"You are in the company of 3 other Masters. Things will look up, be brave and follow Aasaa. He's a respectable magus, but more importantly, he has a heart of gold," Eijiro advised.

"Sure?" Shiori turned to her father for reassurance.

"I observed how he handled an interrogation earlier. You can trust him," Eijiro said.

"Alright, father. Let's return to them."

"Everyone," Hannes announced. "Aasaa will summon his Servant, followed by Misa."

He then addressed Shiori. "We do not have a catalyst for you, and your seals are only beginning to form. Your summoning will come later."

Hannes acknowledged before turning his attention to Aasaa. "Proceed."

Aasaa completed his incantation, and his summoning circle erupted in flames. Searing heat radiated from the Servant he summoned. The room glowed a bright orange, the light from the circle blinding them like the rays of the morning Sun. A clean-shaven man with golden eyes and a smug face manifested at the centre of the circle. His figure blocked some rays, casting large shadows across the walls. He reached out to the heavens. Glittering particles and golden rays enveloped his palm and took the form of a bow. The same glittering particles then formed him a flowing waist cape of red, blue and gold. His leather armour formed, each leather piece alternating between red and blue, lined with gold. He stepped out of his circle as the light faded. His bow fashioned from wood, reinforced by gold. Numerous glistening feathers adorning the bow rustled with mana. The already drew it, arrow locked it, pointed at the person at Hannes, the closest person to Aasaa.

"Did I do something wrong?" Aasaa looked around for confirmation from Hannes.

Hannes shrugged.

"No, on the contrary, you were right to summon me, Master," the man said.

The man stepped out of the fire. He introduced himself to Aasaa, his bow still trained on Hannes. "I am Archer. Master, a lot of people lurk around you. Are they your allies? Or should I get to work immediately?"

* * *

**Hou Yi's Data Sheet **

**Class: Archer **

**True Name: Hou Yi **

**Alignment: Neutral Good**

**Parameters**

**Strength: C **

**Endurance: D**

**Agility: A+**

**Mana: A**

**Luck: B**

**Class Skills**

**Clairvoyance: A**

Hou Yi is the God of Archery. He represents the very notion of firing an arrow from a bow, and thus is its profound master. Empowered by his gods, his aim always holds true.

_**"I never miss."**_

**Independent Action: A**

Archers specialize in undertaking missions separate from their Masters. Their role in such missions is complemented by a degree of Independent Action. Hou Yi himself hunted alone, paying little attention to his apprentice, which led to his downfall. It led to his wife Chang'e being doomed to an eternity on the Moon. From then on, Hou Yi was alone until the day he died.

_**"Immortality, Heaven's Divinity, none of it is worth it, without you."**_

**Personal Skills **

**The Gift Of The Gods: B **

Hou Yi's attacks are gifted by his gods with the ability to harm even divinity. Though he is not a divine being himself.

_**"I will defend this land from those who intend to destroy it!"**_

**Mark Of The Golden Crow: A**

Hou Yi's mana expenditure is refunded to him upon landing a successful hit. His attacks home in on his enemies as long as he has a clear view of them, which is remarkably easy to achieve with his Clairvoyance.

_**"Beware the mark of the Golden Crow!"**_

**Noble Phantasm:**

**Piercer Of Nine Suns **

**B-Rank, Multi-Target (9) Anti-Planet (Restricted) **

Hou Yi received a divine bow from the Gods, the Piercer Of Nine Suns. He can unleash 9 powerful arrows from it, at 9 targets. The power of his arrows is restricted by the power of whoever charged him with the task. When his gods needed him to destroy 9 Suns, he possessed power beyond Anti-Planetary to complete the task. However, this is not achievable by the power of a magus Master, and thus his arrows are now much weaker. He would consume almost all his Master's mana to use it at an Anti-Fortress level, as the cost is multiplied by 9 for his 9 targets. If he wishes to make a more focused attack, he can aim all 9 arrows at the same area, dealing the desired damage 9 times over.

It is also limited by the time required to charge the attack. Anti-Unit level attacks of this Noble Phantasm can be completed instantaneously, however, a more potent one, at Anti-Army or Anti-Fortress level would require significantly longer.

_**"Not even a foe whose power burns with the fury of the Sun will deter me from my mark."**_

* * *

"They are my allies. You may reveal your name, Archer."

Archer lowered his bow, and bowed to Hannes, apologizing. "I am Hou Yi, God of Archery. I come from ancient China. I am a mythical figure in folklore, which makes me fictional."

"Then how did you have a catalyst?" Aasaa inquired.

"I presume this bow fragment came from a statue or representation of me."

Misa observing the proceedings. She asked for permission to speak, which Aasaa granted.

"That is also the theory behind my Servant," Misa said. "I intend to summon a fictional knight, Don Quixote, using the book I brought."

"Whatever, get on with it." Hannes frowned at her with bitter intolerance.

"Amazing," Eijiro praised, nearly applauding. "I never witnessed a Servant's summoning. I only wish the circumstances were better."

"Misa, you may summon your Servant now," continued Hannes.

"Thank you. I know we got off on a bad start, but you guys aren't so bad. I won't betray you," promised Misa, getting into position.

Hannes rolled his eyes and urged her to proceed.

Hou Yi took note of his surroundings. "By the way, Master, I aimed at him because I spotted his Command Seals. Are you sure he is no threat? Also, the girl over there, the one who asked for permission to speak. She is a Master too. Correct? How can you be safe in the company of two rival Masters?"

"Call me Aasaa. We intend to prevent the Grail Wars from continuing."

"We have four Masters. The one you aimed at is Hannes, the girl you referred to is Misa, and over there, is Shiori." Aasaa pointed to each of them. "All allies who do not desire the Helsinki Grail."

"Just be cautious Aasaa, never be too quick to trust. My apprentice betrayed me." Hou Yi sized up the people before him.

"I understand. I will do what is necessary." Aasaa said, impressed with Hou Yi's attentiveness and advice. Aasaa pondered for a while, wondering about his motivations. He could not wait to get closer to his Servant later, and find out how to make the most use of his traits and abilities. He held all Heroic Spirits with a degree of respect, since they were accomplished heroes, and he wanted to be like them in that way. His Servant should have an interesting perspective to offer.

* * *

**Chapter 11 (Don Quixote's Summoning - Misa's Perspective) **

Raising her hand, Misa said her incantation:

_Let silver and steel be the essence. _

_Let stone and the archduke of contracts be the foundation. _

_Let tales of your chivalry become reality. _

_Let rise a wall against the wind that shall fall. _

_Let the four cardinal gates close. _

_Let the three-forked road from the crown reaching unto the Kingdom rotate. _

_I hereby declare. _

_Your body shall serve under me. _

_My fate shall be your sword. _

_Submit to the beckoning of the Helsinki Grail. _

_If you will submit to this will and this reason... Then answer! _

_An oath shall be sworn here! _

_I shall attain all virtues of all of Heaven. _

_I shall have dominion over all evils of all of Hell! _

_Yet, though serves with thine eyes clouded in chaos. _

_Thou, bound in the cage of madness. _

_I am she who commands this chaos. _

_From the Seventh Heaven, attended to by three greet words of power, _

_Come forth from the ring of restraints, _

_Protector of the Holy Balance! _

Aasaa's lips mouthed the added lines. He recalled what they meant.

"She is summoning a Berserker," he said.

"Indeed, her Servant will provide melee support for your ranged Archer," Hannes commented.

Smoke erupted from the summoning circle. The clanging of swords and the neighing of horses could be heard. A figure formed, kneeling down like a knight-elect would, just as they were to be knighted. She summoned a knight. Misa grew concerned when the summoning did not progress further. She went to investigate. The knight had reddish hair tied in a braided bun at the back of his head. The knight's hair also fell along both sides of his head, reaching the sides of his chin. His bangs which reached his eyebrows, and an ahoge. Misa's eyes widened when she noticed he appeared effeminate, with his slender physique and soft skin. He looked young, a teenager in fact, displaying a naivety and peaceful elegance. His eyes were closed as he knelt, and he only wore the inner layers of a knight's armour, the padding and jackets, not the plate mail.

A voice suddenly spoke in her head. A woman's voice.

"Master, knight me and I will be at your service."

* * *

**Don Quixote's Data Sheet**

**Class: Berserker **

**True Name: The Ingenious Sir Quixote of La Mancha **

**Alignment: Chaotic Good**

**Parameters**

**Strength: A **

**Endurance: B **

**Agility: C **

**Mana: D **

**Luck: E-**

**Class Skills**

**Mad Enhancement: B **

Don Quixote was mad. In her story, she decided to become a knight, when the traditions of chivalry were already fading as time moved on. No way qualified to be one, she fashioned her own armour, recruited a squire, Sancho, and rode to carry out her knightly duties on the back of a lethargic horse, named Rocinante. She encountered numerous people and situations, misinterpreting each one as she judged them with knightly perspectives, and caused chaos. Though she received much ridicule, her knightly values persisted until near the end of her life, where she was cured of them. Don Quixote's madness is represented by her Berserker Class Skill, Mad Enhancement.

_**"Finally, from so little sleeping and so much reading, her brain dried up, and she went completely out of her mind."**_

**Personal Skills**

**The Archives of La Mancha: D **

The author of Don Quixote's story used a meta-fictional trick to grant the story greater credibility. This caused those who read the story to truly believe Don Quixote's tale was real, and that the knight really existed. This manifests in the ability of Don Quixote to pass some of her knightly beliefs and skills over to those who believed in her. The effect is only slowly realized, and reaches its peak upon Don Quixote's passing, as those who believed in her are inspired to take up the mantle of chivalry.

_**"Take my advice and live for a long, long time. Because the maddest thing a knight can do in this life is to let themselves die."**_

**Noble Phantasm:**

**Tilting At Windmills **

**B-Rank, Anti-Unit **

Don Quixote's most famous story was when she attempted to attack windmills mistaking them for giants. This became the English idiom, "Tilting At Windmills", to describe misplaced, unjustified anger towards an entity. It now manifests as a Noble Phantasm, tied to Don Quixote's weapon, allowing her to cause a target to force their aggression on another target. The effect's duration is dependent on the target's magical resistance.

_**"Do you see over yonder, friend Sancho, thirty or forty hulking giants? I intend to do battle with them and slay them."**_

**Revival of Chivalry - The Power of One's Allies **

**C-Rank, Anti-Unit (Self) **

Don Quixote's attempt to relive the days of knightly chivalry by becoming a knight manifests in a unique Noble Phantasm. It grants her the power to temporarily summon her squire, Sancho, and her steed, Rocinante, to her aid. Though not good at Riding, Rocinante will grant her a boost in mobility. Sancho's contribution is more significant, as he narrates the battle she is involved in. He was the sensible one of the two, and his narration will guide Don Quixote to make tactically optimal actions, which will even the odds against a superior foe. The morale boost from being reunited with her best companions will also increase Don Quixote's parameters slightly.

It has limitations as Rocinante and Sancho have low Endurance and can be targeted by the enemy. If Don Quixote faces a foe who is far superior, Sancho's guidance may not be enough, and she would still be defeated.

_**"There were no embraces, because where there is great love there is often little display of it."**_

* * *

Misa scrutinized at the knight again. She expected a man, Don Quixote was supposed to be a man. Evaluating all the features again, she came to the conclusion that the knight was a woman, to be more precise, a girl as she looked even younger than her. She saw an ornate sword lying on the ground, within the summoning circle. The voice continued to talk, telling her to pick up the sword and knight her.

Misa replied to the voice, realizing she could speak to it through her mind. She decided to ask about the odd summoning. "Hang on, no Servant summoning ever involved something like this. Please explain."

"Oh, I've been summoned, but I will only rise and equip my knight's armour once I have been accepted into my liege's service," the voice informed.

"What kind of theatrics are you trying to-" Misa asked.

"Please?" the voice now said.

"Oh, never mind, I'll do it" said Misa, finding this spectacle to be quite funny.

She picked up the sword, its features fixing themselves in her mind the moment she took a good look at it. A sense of confidence and power filled her. She felt like royalty, knighting her Servant into her employ. She laid the side of the sword's blade on the knight's right shoulder, and then raised the sword gently just up over the apprentice's head and placed it on her left shoulder. Misa waited for the knight to rise. She did not.

"Say it, say it," the woman's voice continued in her head.

"What?" Misa asked.

"Arise, Sir..."

"You know they don't actually say that?" Misa responded.

"Yea but it would make my day. So epic!" the voice replied.

"Ugh, what kind of Servant did I summon?"

"I am Don Quixote, at your service. Thank you for entertaining my little ceremony. After this we won't be able to speak any more, as you summoned me as a Berserker," it said.

Misa wondered if she should appreciate her Servant's humorous streak. She supposed it made sense since Don Quixote's tales were quite light-hearted. However, she had many questions, as she wondered why her Servant appeared so different from the portrayals of the real Don Quixote. She decided to get over this ceremony before asking her.

"Arise, Sir Don Quixote," she said, sounding as majestic and proud as possible, hoping to satisfy her.

Don Quixote rose, and pledged loyalty to her. Now, her armour manifested. She confirmed it to be plate mail, though it seemed to be somewhat crudely made. A nice way to describe it would be customized. Misa appreciated this accuracy, as in the book, the real Don Quixote made his own armour before setting off on his adventures. And he performed as well as a non-blacksmith could.

"Berserker, why are you a woman? You are supposed to be Don Quixote." Misa scanned her Servant's anatomy, rubbing her eyes in disbelief.

Now fully summoned, Don Quixote could only growl, as her Mad Enhancement took effect.

Right, Berserker Class Servant. They are overwhelmed by rage and will hardly speak comprehensively, Misa remembered. Taking a breath, she then said, "Berserker, Don Quixote or not, you are bound to me as my Servant. The surrounding people are our allies. We will be working with them from now. Do you accept?"

The woman nodded, making a raspy noise.

"Aasaa, Hannes, it seems my summoning is botched. My Servant has been inexplicably replaced with someone else." Misa consulted Aasaa and Hannes. The two of them watched the ceremony, which they found quite interesting.

"There is no logical historical explanation," said Hannes. "I suppose this is caused by pop culture influences of the modern era."

"Are you really Don Quixote?" Aasaa asked.

The Servant nodded. She planted her sword into the ground between her legs, both hands resting on the pommel.

Aasaa recognized her pose, it resembled King Artoria's.

"Don Quixote believed he was a knight," Misa said, observing Berserker's actions. "He wanted to mimic every facet of a knight's existence."

Don Quixote looked at Misa weirdly, and grunted. Misa realized she wanted her to address her with the right gender. Misa stuttered before apologizing.

"Very well, we have 3 Servants now. We should be able to rest easy under their protection," Hannes said.

"I have a proposition regarding Shiori's Servant," said Eijiro. "We have discussed this among ourselves, while the summonings took place."

Hannes and Aasaa turned to him.

"I specialized in creating bounded fields for preventing violence when I still had my Circuits. They were created from studying a certain historical figure. Florence Nightingale, The Angel of Crimea, The Lady with the Lamp. She saved countless soldiers."

"So, you want Shiori to summon her?" Aasaa took note of the details.

"Yes. She was the original user of my special bounded field. She will be the ideal protector of our family."

"Furthermore, Florence Nightingale founded modern nursing. I am a nurse myself. We should get along just fine," says Shiori. Her mood improved with Servants on their side, and a plan to summon Florence Nightingale, her idol. Aasaa could tell from her expression she no longer found the Grail War to be so daunting.

"We will need a catalyst," Hannes said.

"Aasaa, you have contacts at the Clocktower. Can they send a copy of some of Florence Nightingale's letters to us? Those should suffice as a catalyst," Eijiro asked.

"I will assist with this. I can contact my parents tonight, as they are the 'contacts' at the Clocktower you refer to."

"Thank you Aasaa, we can rest more easily now."

"So, I take dinner's preparation was interrupted. I will go out with Simuna to find something for us to eat. Aasaa, your parents won the Fifth Holy Grail War, and you grew up on such stories. You will be Shiori's mentor. Misa, I leave it to you if you want to do some scouting in the meantime," Hannes turned to address the new Masters.

"I will do my best. Rest assured, Shiori is in good hands. I will uphold the name of the Hero of Justice, and the Tohsaka Family. On my Family's honour, she will be safe."

Kaisu and Eijiro made it clear their approval of Aasaa.

"Mentor, I accept your guidance. Teach me to protect myself and my family," Shiori said, bowing before him.

"Please do not call me Mentor, call me Aasaa. No need to be formal, I find it too stuffy to be honest. I hope we become true friends, rather than just allies of circumstance."

"What do we do now?" Shiori asked.

"Rest, while I contact the Clocktower. I will brief you more about the Grail War when Hannes returns," said Aasaa.

"I will survey the city," Misa said. "I won't stand around doing nothing since I owe you all my service. Berserker, let's go."

"Before you go, take this," Aasaa said, handing her a communicator. "Activate it when you are in danger. It will alert me of your location, and I will head there with Hou Yi."

"Alright, thanks," said Misa, taking the communicator from Aasaa's hand before leaving. She climbed on Don Quixote, who then leaped to the rooftop before departing.


	12. Chapter 12

**5th Author's Note:**

**Hi everyone, I am reconsidering my upload schedule. Right now, I'm trying to keep it twice a week, one at the beginning and one towards the end of the week. Do you guys have any opinions to share? Also, it would make my day to read your reviews and feedback. I want to interact with all of you more, as I am thankful for you taking the time to read my work :)**

* * *

**Chapter 12: Cast Away All Doubt**

**(Day 1 of the Helsinki Grail War) **

"Here, are the guest rooms. Take the one on the left." Shiori directed Aasaa upstairs. "We wouldn't have all this without Lord El-Melloi The Second's help."

One side led to the rooms belonging to Shiori and her family, while the side led to the guest rooms. In total, the second level has 4 bedrooms, and 2 bathrooms. The guest rooms were medium-sized with carpeted floors reminding him his living quarters in the Clocktower.

"Thank you for your hospitality. If you don't mind, I will lay out my equipment."

"Go ahead, you'll be staying for quite a while, since I'm in this Grail War too." Shiori took her leave, heading to her own bedroom once Aasaa understood the layout.

He placed a finger on the table and swiped it to wipe off a thick layer of dust. Beside his dust-coated bed, there were 2 tables and chairs. He sniffed, nose running as his eyes teared.

He carried little with him, most of his effects were lost in the Battle of Helsinki Old Church. It did not present any issue for him though, as he could always project replacements, or borrow equipment from Hannes' men downstairs. The two of them who brought Misa here maintained silence all this while, making preparations at the corner of the living room.

He got himself another communicating device from them, as his set aside his own hand-held one for an emergency call from Misa. Dialling his father's number, he dreaded the prospect of telling him what had happened.

The call went as smoothly as he dared hope. Shirou expressed great concern and regret for allowing him to go, though he did not lament on it as much as he expected. Aasaa updated them on his situation, requesting for their help in acquiring a catalyst for Shiori's Servant, Florence Nightingale.

"Aasaa, we are proud of you, being a participant in a Grail War. This is your time to shine as a hero. You will win this Grail War," Rin encouraged. Aasaa detected concern in her voice, his heart twinged upon realizing she tried to sound optimistic, when she bore guilt of being the one who convinced Shirou to let him go

"Thanks mother. It's not your fault I'm here. Both of you shouldn't blame yourselves, as I really wanted to go,"

"Your catalyst will arrive in two days. It is a relatively common one to find, I will use my position as the Tohsaka Family Head to expedite the process." Rin paused, and changed the topic to their investigations. "When we are finished, we will come to relieve you. The leader of this conspiracy, Sircolia Wodime is a very powerful magus, with near perfect Magic Circuits."

Aasaa's grip on the communicator tightened, as he recalled Sircolia's performance during the Battle Of Helsinki Old Church.

"His power is unrivalled among magi. They sent a dozen magi to search his office. None of them returned from the place."

"Do you mean they were killed by traps?"

"No. His office activated a pocket dimension and drew the magi into a labyrinth. We cannot get into the office by breaking down the walls or through the door anymore."

"How did he achieve this?" Aasaa wondered.

"The experts at the Clocktower are just as confused, but they expect this to be an ancient technique, over a thousand years old and lost in time."

Aasaa continued to discuss details regarding Sircolia. According to Rin, another group of magi tracked how he entered Helsinki. From Estonia. The magi who tracked him washed up as frozen corpses on the Estonian coast they were sent to investigate. Only through notes they recorded before their untimely demise did the Clocktower gain this information. They determined that he planted a trap there for anyone trying to track him down.

On a more positive note, Sircolia's conspirators were losing ground in the Clocktower. House El-Melloi allied with Shirou and Rin in the meantime.

"One more thing to watch out Aasaa. The Mage's Association uncovered dozens of other conspiracies stemming from Sircolia, and the entire Clocktower is united against him. They are sending a disciplinary force to Helsinki. Do not get in their way. They care not for you or the Grail War," Rin cautioned.

"There are multiple Servants under his command. They will be slaughtered."

"How many?" Asked Rin.

"3 other magi. The worst case, he has 3 allied Masters, each with a Servant."

"There's no way the magi they sent will stand a chance," Shirou agreed.

"Not our call, we can only suggest to those who have the power to send them," Rin sighed. "Most of them are stuck up and will doubt our advice. My influence can only do so much."

Aasaa bid his parents a difficult goodbye. A lump of guilt formed making them worry about him formed at his throat. He did not let it overwhelm him though, vowing to remain steadfast throughout the Grail War, and there were many people he could not afford to let down. His parents were in London dealing with a precarious battle against an army of conspirators, and he faced an enemy who wielded unspeakable power. He vowed to survive, protect and train the others, and prevent those magi from winning the Grail War and getting their wish.

Aasaa sighed before deciding to relay the news regarding Shiori's catalyst to her.

"Shiori, may I speak to you?" Aasaa called from his room.

"Coming." Shiori's soft footsteps sounded from the other room. Seeing her at his door now, he invited her to sit on the vacant chair.

"Your catalyst will arrive in two days' time, around noon."

"Yea, thanks." Shiori took a seat. Her eyes wandered from Aasaa and stared at his communicator. She unconsciously fiddled it with her fingers.

"No problem." Aasaa saw her fidgeting. "Hmm, is there anything concerning you?"

"I-sorry, I'm just stressed about meeting Florence Nightingale, I hope she does not look down on me." Shiori turned to Aasaa for assurance.

"The very reason you are a nurse today, is because of her work. She'll be overjoyed to know her legacy lives on."

"What you say makes sense, but I also have other worries."

"Oh? What?"

Shiori paused, collecting her thoughts. Aasaa gave her time, patiently waiting for her to speak.

"Aasaa, do you think poorly of me?" Shiori sounded ashamed now. "Before I got the Command Seals, I told you I didn't want to be involved, and disrespected your efforts."

"I'll admit I was offended, though now I'm fine."

"I think the Helsinki Grail punished me."

"Well, the Grail is cruel. I'll be there for you."

"I don't know how. People say you can help me but what can you do for someone with weak Circuits and no experience? Teach me something."

"Before you go on with the actual Magecraft, let me first help you search for what drives you," Aasaa said.

"I'm just trying to survive."

"You have a strong motivation. But for you, there's more. You want to control your own fate, and hence you spoke up to us the moment we threatened on your family's safety."

"I guess. Also, I don't want to depend on others like this. I feel inferior and guilty to burden you." Shiori shifted in her seat, as thoughts of inadequacy emerged.

"Just strive to do your best, and things will fall into place. I always fall back on a few key motivations myself."

"It's nothing like your noble motivations..." she replied.

"I grew up on stories of Heroic Spirits. I'm named after King Arthur. He's what I regard as a true hero. Selfless, strong, respected, and just," Aasaa said with a sense of pride. Though he did not find it necessary to open a can of worms with Shiori by explaining the true gender of King Arthur.

"I get it, you want to emulate these heroic figures."

"Yep. I'm trying every day to match up to them," Aasaa said.

"My motivations don't compare to your selflessness." Shiori put her and her family's safety before helping others. It stemmed from how much she loved them.

"You want safety for yourself, and your family. You desire to improve so your fate is in your hands. I'll help you achieve that." Aasaa's words instilled her with a new ray of confidence and strength. She started to smile, her doubts fading.

"Thanks, you make me proud of myself, even though I'm garbage. Motivations aside, my Magecraft is poor."

"What magic can you do?"

"Well, I can repair objects, and conjure a small fire that burns for a long time without fuel. It doesn't burn the things around unless I order it."

Aasaa raised an eyebrow of curiosity at the odd specifics of her Magecraft. "What made you create something so specific?"

"You don't want to know, it's really quite silly." Shiori's eyes turned away from Aasaa as she clasped her hands together.

"Go on, I think I can find an application, or teach you how to strengthen it," Aasaa said, trying to be as encouraging as possible.

"Okay, so I like to drink coffee, sometimes I fancy a hot coffee late at night. I'll use my to boil water and make coffee with the coffee bags in my room. Ridiculous right? But at least I don't need to go to the kitchen most of the time."

"Ever heard of an electric water heater?"

"Uh, I feel cool doing this little ritual of mine." She immediately regretted saying that, chiding herself for how stupid she made herself look before her mentor.

"Alright, let me see, so it involves creating a flame, and fuelling it with mana so it doesn't go out. Then you control it, only allowing it to heat your water. Anything else?"

"Basically. But my fire kind of controls itself, I don't pay attention."

"Oh, you must have a very high degree of control over your spell to do so subconsciously," Aasaa said.

"I doubt, I'm garbage like I said."

"Don't underestimate yourself. I'll analyse your spell later."

"Alright, thanks for speaking to me. Though I'm garbage, I feel ready to improve." Shiori smiled at Aasaa.

He found similarities between Shiori to his father, in terms of their situations in their respective Grail Wars. Being able to empathize with her motivated him to help her.

The two of them expected Hannes to be back any moment now. He had left an hour ago, shortly before Misa. As they waited, the communicator buzzed and emitted a red light, signalling an emergency. Misa needed their help.


	13. Chapter 13

**6th Author's Note:**

**Okay, I've been hyping up these Servants for long enough with all their summonings and preparations. Now, it's time to see them do battle. You're in for a treat this chapter, and the next few as Don Quixote faces Ragnar Lothbrok. Sorry for the sort of cliffhanger last Chapter ;)**

* * *

**Chapter 13: The Gathering Storm **

**(Day 1 of the Helsinki War) **

One hour ago, just as Misa and Hannes left the Nomura house:

Bram Nuada-Re and Sircolia planned their next course of action. The Sun began to set, and Genghis Khan called upon his Item Creation to light the Old Church with oil torches. Underneath the flickering yellow light, summoned Mongolian warriors tended to repairs and cleared the rubble caused by the earlier battle. They worked under an impenetrable Bounded Field, obscured from the public. Sircolia arose from his seat, and ready to hunt his enemies with Genghis Khan.

"It is not good enough that I succeed, but others should fail." Genghis Khan's fellow warriors raised their hands in approval of what he said. "Master, I can wait no longer."

"Give me a moment to speak to Bram Nuada-Re," Sircolia said. "He has been bugging me for a while now."

"I hate to be kept waiting. But I see the value in spending time with those who serve you. Go ahead," Genghis Khan folded his arms and stared at him with mild intolerance.

Sircolia ignored his condescending tone. "Bram Nuada-Re, what is it?"

"Sir, may I ask, what do I mean to you?"

"What?"

"I spent most of my Family's fortune on funding your cause. I followed you unfailingly. Why is it that you focus more on your Servant than me? Why have I not got anything for my troubles?"

"Bram Nuada-Re, your help is most appreciated. Genghis Khan is a proud, stubborn man. This is the only way I can get him on our side, and we need his power to win. You will be rewarded in time."

"Fine. Without Genghis Khan we will lose. Regardless, you can't let him boss you around. I hate to see you playing second fiddle to him."

"Don't worry, leave him to me. I'm setting off to hunt our enemies soon. Help by travelling in the other direction to cover more ground."

"Yes sir, of course."

Sircolia took out a well-preserved note from his pocket. It contained the last words of his father, Kirschtaria Wodime,

_August 29__th__, 2017 _

_Dear son, _

_Ritsuka Fujimaru and her allies ruined all my plans. My numerous contingencies ineffective. All the singularities returned to their normal state. I only have one Servant left. It seems my goal to remake the world will not come to pass in my lifetime. But while I die, my goal lives on. One day, it will come, when the world is less vigilant. _

_Kirschtaria Wodime _

Genghis Khan interrupted his reading. "The guilt of traitors calls for swift retribution. Master, why do you deny this?" Genghis Khan glared at Sircolia with piercing impatience.

"Apologies, we will get going at once."

The two of them departed the Old Church. Sircolia rode atop his own Mongolian horse now, and they rode into the night, searching for their prey. Bram Nuada-Re

went in the other direction to help with the search.

Fezgrem hid in a patch of forest. He drew a new summoning circle, and began the ritual.

Placing Gordafarid's helmet on the circle, he said, "You will make Sircolia kneel."

The ritual began as he finished his incantation. A sandstorm formed around him, its epicentre the summoning circle. The sandstorm erupted with lighting, as the warm desert air blasted him with grains of sand. A silver lance emitting white runes slammed into the ground. A gloved hand reached out from the sandstorm to grab it, and with more sparks of lightning, pulled it from the ground. The figure used its other hand, which held a scimitar, to clear the sandstorm with a swift sideways slash. Immediately, the storm died down and now, Gordafarid stood before her Master. Plate armour hugged her figure, with a blue tabard draped over. She wore a polished version of the helmet used as her catalyst, which had a crimson bundle of horsehair.

"I pledge myself to your service. With courage and wisdom, we will acquire victory!" she declared.

* * *

**Gordafarid's Data Sheet**

**Class: Lancer **

**True Name: Gordafarid **

**Alignment: Neutral Good **

**Parameters **

**Strength: C **

**Endurance: B **

**Agility: B **

**Mana: E **

**Luck: D**

**Class Skills**

**Magic Resistance: B **

Being a Lancer grants her a high degree of magical resistance. A symbol of wisdom and courage, she is undaunted by the tricks and machinations of magi.

**Personal Skills **

**Eye Of The Mind(True): B **

Gordafarid held off an entire army so that her people could flee. Such a feat would be impossible for most warriors. Fortunately, she possessed superb battle instinct and this allowed her to fight on to the bitter but heroic end. She retains this talent now, when summoned as a Lancer.

**Noble Phantasm**

**A Lion Eager For Battle **

**B-Rank, Anti-Unit (Self) **

Her scimitar struck down her foes with ease, as it was said to be as sharp as a lion's fangs. Gordafarid used it in her battles, taking down foe after foe. No matter their numbers, they still fell. She soon earned the moniker that is this Noble Phantasm. As long as this lion had her fangs, she could call upon its power to grant her a stat parameter increase in relation to how many foes she faced, allowing her to keep up with ever-growing numbers of foes.

It is limited in that Gordafarid will run out of mana, and the stat increase will still place Gordafarid's stats below the combined stats of her foes.

_**"Their numbers did not matter. They surrounded her and she still fought on."**_

**Ever-Approaching Downfall **

**B-Rank, Anti Unit **

Though Gordafarid fell that day, she delayed the enemy long enough for her allies to regroup and prepare for the invasion. When the enemies arrived, her allies were ready. In the end, Gordafarid's allies achieved their victory. Her actions were said to have sealed her enemy's fates, leading to their inevitable defeat. Her legacy is represented through her lance, which when activated will seek Gordafarid's target until it pierces them. Nothing will deter it. Blocking it will only delay it, running away is futile the lance's pursuit is endless, and waiting in an encased area will cause the lance to bid its time until the target emerged.

The lance is limited as it can be satisfied by piercing the target, without having to inflict a lethal blow. Furthermore, once activated, even Gordafarid herself cannot undo it should she change her mind, as she has already set things in motion to bring about her target's downfall.

_**"Today you stand above my corpse. Tomorrow, my allies will stand above yours."**_

* * *

"I am Fezgrem, your Master."

"Master, what is our strategy, or would you like me to devise my own?" Gordafarid asked.

"We have many enemies. Rider and Saber are allied-" Fezgrem paused when his Servant interrupted him.

"Information on our situation. Good, but not a strategy. I will formulate one then." She sauntered a few steps and judged her surroundings, now in thought.

Fezgrem stuttered, attempting to reply. He tried to speak again, but Gordafarid brushed him aside.

"You need not tire yourself. I'll do it."

Genghis Khan and Sircolia prowled the streets of Helsinki in search for the other Masters and Servants. They took a rest on top of a building, while Genghis Khan surveyed the surroundings.

"I found someone. Two women, about a kilometre from us, standing on a rooftop," Genghis Khan said. "One is wearing armour. A Servant."

"How did you see from so far away?" Sircolia could barely make anything out.

"In life, I practiced archery as well. From here I can even see the weak points in the armour the other Servant has. I will exploit it," Genghis Khan replied.

"Shouldn't you use your bow?"

"My first impression made with a cowardly bow? Never! I will give them a taste of Mongolian iron and fury."

Genghis Khan then brought attention to Bram Nuada-Re and Ragnar Lothbrok, who lurked just a street away from the two women, on another rooftop.

Sircolia observed them and said, "It seems he picked up their scent as well. We will remain behind and observe."

"What for? Let's crush them!"

"We don't know anything about them, let Bram Nuada-Re find out for us."

"Pointless. I am leagues above them."

"That may be so, but we do not want to reveal your abilities just yet, do we?"

"Bah!" Genghis Khan sheathed his scimitar.

Misa and Don Quixote admired the city from the rooftop, the cooling air causing their hair to flutter. They smiled as people below went about their peaceful lives, coming home from work or going out for dinner. They scouted for an hour, and it delivered nothing. In Misa's hand held a communicator linked to Aasaa in case she needed help. He insisted she brought one.

Don Quixote started to growl.

"Yes, someone is here. Watch out, Don."

Her Servant nodded, scanning the surroundings one more time. She stopped and pointed to the east. There stood a magus, and what appeared to be his Servant, a towering Viking warrior.

Don Quixote raised her blade and snarled at him. Bram Nuada-Re ordered Ragnar Lothbrok to engage. His Servant rushed to oblige, as he leaped over several buildings at a time to get to his target.

"They're coming." Misa alerted her Servant. "Don, I leave this to you." Her hand tightened its grip on the communicator, but she did not activate it just yet.

Ragnar Lothbrok jumped above Don Quixote, raised his sword mid-leap, and drove it towards her in a massive downwards cut, shouting an oath of courage as he did. She took the brunt of the impact, as it sent her flying. She got up, and returned to the battle, unfazed.

"Don!" Misa reached her hand towards her Servant, worried if they should retreat. The force of the impact shook her, the sound of clashing blades ringing in her ears.

Don Quixote sprinted forward, before ducking to the left as Ragnar Lothbrok moved to defend his front. She brought her sword into his unprotected side, puncturing his armour, causing him to let out a roar of agony. Satisfaction filled Misa's face.

"Alright that's it." Bram Nuada-Re prepared a concentrated energy orb in his palm.

"Use your Noble Phantasm, Saber!"

"Shaggy Breeches Of Ragnar Lothbrok!"

"Wait, Bram Nuada-Re? It's you! Why are you attacking me?"

"The Grail War has begun. We are now enemies. Die!"

Ragnar Lothbrok's armour started to glow, as it became heavy reinforced. It now shone brightly in the night. Don Quixote tried to attack again, though her blade glanced off. She followed up by kicking him. The Viking King did not flinch, and instead Don Quixote clutched her foot in pain.

She took a pummelling from Bram Nuada-Re's energy orb soon after, which threw her towards Misa. Misa ran to her downed Servant, "Berserker, get up! We need to run."

Don Quixote growled as she got to her feet. Her sword raised, she dusted her battered armour, brushing off the earlier wounds and let out a roar to let her Master know she would never surrender. Misa's confidence in her Servant returned.

Ragnar Lothbrok advanced, looking to press the advantage. Don Quixote parried his strikes, one after another, their blades clanging, as they fought. Sparks flew out from where their swords met. Misa grinned, impressed, as her Servant had the body of a teenage girl, and yet she took on the over two-meter tall Saber. In fact, Don Quixote appeared to be stronger than Ragnar Lothbrok, thanks to her superior Mad Enhancement. She forced him back with a well-placed cut at his leg, followed by a strike to the head. Don Quixote then held her sword's blade, and slammed her swords' pommel and cross-guard into Ragnar Lothbrok's face. He responded with a swift and forceful cut from the right. Don Quixote parried, and with her other hand, punched him in the stomach.

"You fight with the fury of Thor! Impressive."

Don Quixote growled in response. She readied her next attack. She used her left hand to grip the mid-section of her sword's blade, giving her more control of the sword, and aimed it at a soft part of his armour. He tried to stop her, but she dashed past, too quick for him. Her small frame gave her an advantage. It pierced through, despite the use of his Noble Phantasm boosting his defensive parameters.

"Argh! You insect!" Ragnar Lothbrok clutched Don Quixote's sword and pulled her to him. He wanted to pin her down and wrestle her. Don Quixote gave him a head-butt, and gouged at his eyes before kicking his chin and rising to her feet. She threw herself at him in a mad flurry of hacking. She abandoned any semblance of form and lashed out with primal ferocity. Nevertheless, it proved effective in combat.

She now grabbed Ragnar Lothbrok's sword with her bare hands, ignoring the blood coming from her palm, and drove her sword at his head, landing another solid hit before attempting to kick him in the chest. Don Quixote's wild fighting style resembled that of a manic animal. By fighting dirty, she evened the odds against the superior Saber. Her Mad Enhancement allowed her to get away with her lack of finesse.

Misa ignored the smell of blood as the two Servants slashed and tore at each other. She cheered Don Quixote on, enchanted by the torrent of strikes she unleashed. The bulky Saber stood no chance before her.

Sircolia shook his head at Bram Nuada-Re's performance. Genghis Khan strode around him on his horse, increasingly agitated over being left out of a battle.

"Come Genghis Khan, we will confront them."

"Finally, at last reason has returned to you. We ride to war!"

Misa and Bram Nuada-Re heard the arrival of another Master and Servant. The battle between their Servants halted, and they both returned to their respective Masters. Misa glanced at the new arrival, eyes widening when she saw the familiar golden sigils. Sensing her shock, Bram Nuada-Re smiled confidently.

"Sir-Sircolia?" she asked. She could see Genghis Khan standing behind him.

"Yes, it is I. Come Misa, return to us. Lend us your power, and we can obtain the Helsinki Grail together."

"You said you would dispose of your Servant, and not participate. What is the meaning of this?" Misa stared at him with confusion that gave way to shock.

"Dispose of me?" Genghis Khan asked.

"I'll explain later, it's nothing," Sircolia explained. He turned to Misa. "I have a goal in this Grail War." He sounded proud to say it, for he sought to finish what his father started.

"So, you have the most powerful Servant, and you have a rival goal. How do you expect me to join you?" Misa asked. "If you have a wish, you would have to kill my Servant, and defeat me. I can't join you only to lose."

"Set aside yours, and join me. I will ensure you are compensated." Sircolia smirked, confident he would convince his naive puppet.

"You keep changing the plans. You've broken your promise. How can I trust you any longer? Also, you promised you would not kill any more. I heard what you did at the Old Church. 40 dead. How could you?" Misa took a strong stance against murder, having lost her parents at a young age. Her odds were poor, yet she refused to back down, which stunned Sircolia who saw her as cowardly and subservient.

"I attacked because they threatened me," Sircolia tried to explain.

Misa shook her head. "I trusted you. No more killing. You promised. You lied to me about how guilty you were over Lord El-Melloi The Second's death."

"Silence!" Sircolia demanded. "They got in my way."

"Got in your way? They were people. They had lives, like us. Those who protected the Helsinki Grail captured me. Instead of coming to help, you left me to my own devices. Did you care about my life?" She connected the dots, sounding betrayed. Piecing together the information, it painted a grim realization that Sircolia only kept her around for her usefulness to him.

"We could not locate you," Sircolia's patience wore thin. "I was just about to look for you."

"Then why did Bram Nuada-Re attack me the moment he saw me?"

"He must have been mistaken."

"What you say doesn't add up at all. You and Bram Nuada-Re are saying different things. Those who captured me told me not to trust you, and that you manipulated me. They're right." Misa balled her fist, a hot mix of anger and sadness filled her, unable to fully believe her former allies saw her as expendable.

"I helped you for 10 years, and in return, I don't even have your trust? You traitor. You believe the word of misguided fools over me?" Sircolia bellowed. He gestured to Genghis Khan and continued, "You owe me your life. Join me and help me achieve my goals or I will do what I must."

"Master, she does not believe you. End your pretence and settle this the only way possible. With overwhelming force." Genghis Khan put his hand to his scimitar, still sheathed, and eyed his prey with hungry eyes.

"You just threw your worthless life away." Sircolia turned to his Servant. "Kill her."

Genghis Khan turned to her, weapon raised. Meanwhile, Ragnar Lothbrok recovered from the first battle, eager to fight once again. He raised his sword at Don Quixote.

"Berserker, we need to escape. I'm sending an emergency signal to Aasaa. Hold them off and find a way to break through." Misa activated her communicator.

Don Quixote nodded, and raised her weapon, undaunted by the fact she faced two foes. She charged, sword swishing madly through the air, and greeted them with a flurry of strikes.


	14. Chapter 14

**7th Author's Note:**

**Hope I didn't keep you waiting for Chapter 14 for too long, here comes the next part of the fight scene. It's time for Sircolia to get serious. Next Chapter releases on Wednesday.**

* * *

**Chapter 14: The False Lancer **

**(Day 1 of the Helsinki Grail War)**

"Shiori, come quickly!" Aasaa scrambled out of his room, the communicator in hand. It beeped, Misa needed help.

"Yes? What is it?"

"Misa is under attack. I need to go with Archer. Don't worry, Hannes is almost home to take over watching the house." He held the communicator, determining the location of the signal.

"Alright, go give those magi a good beating." She raised her fist in support of her mentor.

Aasaa agreed. Before the left, he said, "Take care of your parents. They are downstairs cleaning the kitchen, I think. They must have many questions."

"Yup, I'll go."

"Archer, we are heading to this location, 2 kilometres from here. How fast can you get us there?"

"Will you use a Command Spell or not?" Hou Yi returned from the rooftop, slipping in through an open window.

"I think I'll save them for now. I'll use them if she is indeed in danger."

"8 minutes, if I leap from building to building. 30 if I have to enter spirit form and walk the streets with you."

Aasaa and Hou Yi found themselves leaping from building to building. His hand still clutched the communicator. Every second counted, and he feared he was too late. _Come on Misa, I'm coming. Please hold on. _

Hou Yi scanned the surroundings with his Clairvoyance. "I see them, from over a kilometre away. Your ally, she's fighting two Servants."

"Two? How is she holding up?" Aasaa's eyes widened at the seemingly disadvantageous situation. Another pang of worry burgeoned, the journey to find them growing more agonizing.

"I cannot believe it. Her Servant moves like a whirlwind." Hou Yi rarely praised anyone. He witnessed Don Quixote fight with the fury of a storm, undaunted, unrelenting. Seeing the others fight reignited his love for battle, and his bow felt alive once more, mana coursing through it like streams of wind.

"Okay, we better back her up while she's still holding strong," Aasaa said. He presented his idea. Hou Yi yawned.

"Master, forgive me, but I have a better solution. I'm dematerializing my bow. Project me a lance or a staff."

"What are you thinking?"

"I'm going to act like a Servant of another Master and pretend to join the enemy before backstabbing their Master. Both Masters are there."

"Your idea is pretty interesting. How certain are you about it?"

"Very, since I'm suggesting it over your standard approach."

"Alright, we go with it."

"You stay at least 200 metres away. Command Spell ready, you pull me out if I fail, and I will blast them with my arrows once I return to your position," Hou Yi instructed.

Aasaa accepted his Servant's crazy proposition. He could have charged in with his swords and gemstones, though he wanted to try his Servant's plan instead. When he summoned his Servant, he told himself that such legendary figures would have unique perspectives and strategies. It excited him to know he now participated in one such strategy.

He got into position and projected himself binoculars to watch the battle. Don Quixote fought 2 enemy Servants, one of them a Viking warrior and the other wore Asian armour while mounted on horseback. Aasaa matched the descriptions to Misa's information and came to a startling conclusion. Dark, smothering dread draped over him as he froze in fear. Genghis Khan strode across the battlefield, with war in his eyes.

Don Quixote bled in several areas. Ragnar Lothbrok as well. He now stood at a corner, while Genghis Khan, who remained unscathed, took charge of the fight. He looked as if he had not been fighting, when he already fought Don Quixote for 8 minutes.

"Berserker, please hang on, our friends are coming." Misa studied Don Quixote's wounds with worried gasps.

Don Quixote roared. She leaped forward and slammed her blade into Genghis Khan's chest. It bounced off. Genghis Khan was completely invulnerable. He simply yawned.

Aasaa saw this. He noted the force of Don Quixote's attack and realized Genghis Khan must have EX level Endurance to ignore it.

Sircolia stood a dozen meters away. He decided to taunt his former ally. "My Servant is indestructible. Misa, for turning your back on me, you will die painfully, and your Servant made my slave."

"A worthy fate for those who betray." Genghis Khan threatened them with his weapon, ready to attack.

"Sircolia? Is this who your really are?"

"Why do you ask? You're about to die." Sircolia sneered at her, looking forward to her coming demise. His motto, a statement his followers lived and died by echoed in his head. _Death to all who oppose Sircolia._

"I asked because soon, I'm not going to get an answer from your corpse!" Misa glared at Sircolia, her face twitching with hate. Sircolia's smug expression and gloating ignited a fire in her veins.

Genghis Khan observed her response. "Bold words. You are a worthy foe. Unfortunately, your body will join the piles of corpses I will leave in my wake."

Don Quixote raised her blade again. This sudden movement caught Sircolia off guard. She aimed at Genghis Khan, who did not even bother to defend. Don Quixote's wordless lips changed into a grin. With a change in her attack path, she threw her sword at Sircolia who reacted by creating a huge disc to block the sword. It clattered on the ground after it bounced off. Genghis Khan then grabbed the now swordless Don Quixote and tried to pin her down. He proved stronger than her. With one hand pressing her to the concrete floor of the roof, he then took out his scimitar, aiming to stick it through her abdomen.

"Sir, another Servant is here. He stands in the shadows, just on the rooftop adjacent to us."

"What?" Genghis Khan lowered his scimitar, keeping Don Quixote firmly pinned.

"I am Cu Chulainn," Hou Yi announced, still obscured by the dark, lance in hand. He held a projection of a red spear. It resembled Gae Bolg, but only in appearance. It contained none of the legendary spear's power.

"Nonsense, Gordafarid is the Lancer in this war, I provided the catalyst," Bram Nuada-Re said.

Aasaa spectated the fight with a pair of projected binoculars. He suggested the name as a nod to the stories from the Fifth Grail War.

"Well, I am the Lancer now," Hou Yi scoffed at him.

"Damn that Fezgrem. What is he trying to do?" Bram Nuada-Re said in frustration.

Hou Yi picked up the name he mentioned and decided to use it.

Who is your Master?" Sircolia asked. "And what do you want?"

"My Master killed Fezgrem, before summoning me. He told me to go alone and not give up his identity. As for what I want, I want to secure a truce with you," Hou Yi said.

"I don't believe it. Not for one second!" Bram Nuada-Re said. "Saber, cut him down!"

"Yes Master," Ragnar Lothbrok moved in for the kill.

Hou Yi ran past the lumbering Saber, using his agility to dodge an incoming strike. Lance in hand, he went for Bram Nuada-Re.

Sircolia responded with several beams of energy, which Hou Yi dodged, laughing as he taunted him with crow-like noises.

Misa noticed that no one paid attention to her. She knew Hou Yi was not a Lancer, and realized Aasaa must have concocted a plan. "Don Quixote, use your Noble Phantasm!" She read the battle, and decided to distract Genghis Khan for a moment.

"Tilting At Windmills!" Don Quixote said, switching from her growling.

Genghis Khan lost control of his body. He picked up his scimitar and charged at Sircolia, forced to attack him.

Sircolia halted his barrage, and jump out of the way. He waved his hands, and layers of forcefields encased Genghis Khan.

"Master, this is some trick by the enemy, I'm forced to attack you!" He hated the fact that someone controlled him. It came as the ultimate insult to the ruler of a vast empire.

"I know, it should not last long given your power."

Bram Nuada-Re fired a ball of condensed energy at Hou Yi. He dodged to the side, but suffered damage from the blast, and found himself knocked several metres back. Ragnar Lothbrok now came barrelling down on him. He threw the lance at Bram Nuada-Re.

"Gae Bolg!" Hou Yi shouted, imitating the activation of a Noble Phantasm as the lance travelled towards Bram Nuada-Re.

Bram Nuada-Re gaped at the lance, bracing himself. He took Hou Yi's bait, and believed it to be a threat.

"Saber, I command you to save my life," he said.

Ragnar Lothbrok teleported to him. With one arm, he picked Bram Nuada-Re and pulled him aside, and with the other, he batted the lance away, which shattered to pieces.

Hou Yi got up and tried to escape. Meanwhile, Genghis Khan regained control of himself. He rode after Hou Yi, scimitar raised.

"Sole Ruler Of The Plains!" he bellowed, determine to crush his foe.

It blasted Hou Yi into a wall. He sat in the crater created by Genghis Khan's Noble Phantasm, dazed. Genghis Khan went up to him, poised to bring his scimitar down. Hou Yi maintained his confidence even in the face of death.

Misa and Don Quixote made their escape in the chaos. Aasaa ran to meet them.

"Misa, take your Servant and run. I can hold them off a little longer. Once you are behind our bounded fields, you will be safe."

"How about you?" Misa asked.

"I can use a Command Spell on my Servant and flee," Aasaa said.

Hou Yi fell over, battered. Genghis Khan's Noble Phantasm defeated him in one hit.

"Hou Yi, I command you to me." Aasaa brought his hand forward, one Command Seal fading away.

Genghis Khan raised his scimitar at the battered Hou Yi. "Now you die!"

"I think not." Hou Yi grinned before vanishing, appearing beside Aasaa, 200 meters away.

Hou Yi looked worse for wear, though he seemed to be healing back. "Master, your mana is strong. I am impressed."

"Going somewhere?" A voice behind them called.

Sircolia floated in the air, his cape fluttering. He cast a shadow upon them, his face full of menace.

Aasaa readied his gemstones, while Hou Yi summoned his bow.

"As suspected, you are not Lancer, but Archer, and you are the Servant of this annoyance." Sircolia pointed at him.

He felt insulted by this, responding with a gemstone lobbed at Sircolia who zapped it in midair. It did not explode when it made contact as he used his expansive knowledge to disrupt the magical flow within the gemstone. Sircolia swore vengeance for their brazen attempts to strike him. He formed two orbs of lava, one on each side, and sent them flying at his foes. They travelled slowly and homed in on their targets. Sircolia then summoned 6 discs, ready to cast his beams of energy. They fired, dotting the rooftop with scorch marks where their blasts landed, melting tiles. Aasaa dodged them and threw projected swords at Sircolia, who created a magical ward in the shape of a giant disc to block them. The disk turned on its side and started to spin. He launched the entire thing at the two of them, making it spin at breakneck speeds, blurring its edges. Instinct told Aasaa that the edges of the spinning 6-meter wide disk were razor sharp. He ducked down, and the spinning disk flew over him. One of Sircolia's energy beams tried to aim for him, but the blast hit the spinning disk as it flew over Aasaa.

The spinning disk crashed into a nearby building wedging deep into its walls. It then broke itself free and resumed spinning after Aasaa who ran behind the two lava orbs, dodging more of Sircolia's beams. Sircolia's aim failed as he focused on flying, the spinning disk, his lava orbs and beams all at once. The spinning disk surged after Aasaa.

Aasaa stood before the storm of magic. He lacked an answer for it. The Magecraft Sircolia called upon was on par with a Caster.

Sircolia commanded his lava orbs and spinning disk to pincer Aasaa, and then used his energy beams to bombard Aasaa's position. Aasaa projected swords, and parried the energy beams all the while trying to force down a growing sense of dread at the spinning disk and lava orbs closed in around him.

Hou Yi tried to rescue his Master with a salvo of arrows to destroy the spinning orb. They blasted it, but turned out ineffective. The then aimed at Sircolia, who created more beams to blast the arrows before they could hit him.

'Foolish Archer, my Magecraft is highly sophisticated. Yours simply cannot match."

Aasaa grew weary from trying to fend off the barrage of energy beams. He considered using a Command Spell.

'Hou Yi, can you stop the disk?"

Hou Yi shook his head.

Sircolia watched as his attack closed in, like a vise moving ever closer to snuff his opponent's life out. "My power has no equal. Lay down your weapons and surrender."

"No equal you say?" Hou Yi asked. The realization hit him. "Master, only his own Magecraft can destroy it."

Aasaa's eyes widened. "We can try. Hit the spinning disk hard enough to change its course, so it will hit the lava orbs."

'What?" Sircolia glowered at them, raised his fist and prepared more energy beams. Hou Yi responded by taking far too many arrows from his quiver and launching them all at once. The fleet of arrows homed in on Sircolia, forcing him to retreat. Then, Hou Yi rocked the spinning disk with an arrow that he charged longer, redirecting it into the lava orbs.

Both orbs and the spinning disk were destroyed by each other. He let out a string of threats, insulted that Aasaa turned his own power against him.

Aasaa gaped in awe at Hou Yi's flawless execution. He proved to be both talented in combat and strategy, while he came up short in the battle. There was much to be learnt from his Servant.

Panting with exhaustion, Aasaa stared in disbelief at the scale and potency of Sircolia's Magecraft. He possessed so many mystic codes. The beams alone would make him a first-rate magus already. A sword projected in Aasaa's hand, as he called out his foe. "I will defeat you, even if that's the last thing I do."

"Fighting me is the last thing you'll do." Sircolia returned with more energy beams. He stared down on the and angled his beams at Aasaa.

"Why do you keep focusing on him when I've been doing everything?" remarked Hou Yi as 9 golden arrows sang through the air, each one surging towards Sircolia. Sircolia saw the impending attack and realized he had ignored the real threat. 6 of the arrows went for the beams, shattering them, and the last 3 went for Sircolia who moved at superhuman speed to dodge them. The arrows circled back around and went for him. He cast an orb of lightning to destroy two of the arrows. The last one collided with him, and exploded. The smoke cleared to reveal Sircolia, still floating in the wind. His white cloak tarnished with soot, marred by the blast. He reinforced his clothing to survive the last arrow, absorbing the hit at the cost of his finery.

"It's true that I have underestimated you Archer. Do you want me to take you seriously and call my Servant?"

"Take this seriously first." Aasaa pressed the attack and threw a few swords forward. Sircolia glared at him with pure malice, having not expected this annoyance to give him so much trouble. He conjured a gale force blast to blow away the swords. He directed the force of the winds and blasted Aasaa and Hou Yi off the roof. They fell towards the streets, 3 storeys below.

Hou Yi grabbed Aasaa in midair. Thinking quickly, he broke the window of the 2nd floor and pushed Aasaa into it before allowing himself to fall on the roof of a car.

Aasaa groaned in agony as he was pushed into the building. His trench-coat protected him from the broken glass of the window. Sustaining several bruises, he picked himself up.

Genghis Khan, Bram Nuada-Re and Ragnar Lothbrok came to Sircolia's side. He ordered to Bram Nuada-Re to finish them off.

Bram Nuada-Re ordered his Servant to descend into the streets and hunt them.

Ragnar Lothbrok leaped off the roof and dug his sword into the wall of the building as he descended, slowing his fall. A shower of bricks followed him in his descent to the ground. He arrived at the car, to find it abandoned.

Hou Yi hid in a nearby alley while Aasaa escaped the building, climbing down from the second floor, and sneaking out of the back door while Sircolia and the others were scanning the streets for them. He met up with Hou Yi and the two of them returned home.

Once they were safe, Aasaa commended his Servant for his fighting, though he chastised himself for coming up short.

"Don't criticize yourself, Master. As a Servant, fighting is my role."

Aasaa revealed his goal to be a hero to Hou Yi, and how he now doubted himself. Placing his hand on his Master's shoulder, Hou Yi let out a sigh and said, "You haven't screwed up like I have. Trust me, you are on your way to becoming a hero."

"What did you do?" Aasaa asked.

"I caused the destruction of the one I loved. But the time for that story will come later. Now we have to revel in our victory with our friends." Their battleworn faces stained with dirt and sweat were illuminated by streetlights as they approached the Nomura house. His friends left the door open, awaiting to welcome him in.


	15. Chapter 15

**7th Author's Note:**

**Here's the next Chapter. A few breather episodes as the team makes their ****preparations. I will be uploading more often for the next few Chapters. Chapter 16 releases tomorrow. **

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**Chapter 15: The Long Road Ahead **

**(Day 1 of the Helsinki Grail War)**

Hannes welcomed Aasaa and Hou Yi in. Misa ran up and gave him a hug, thanking him for helping her and Don Quixote escape. He praised her too, commending her Servant's resilience as a rush of pride rushed through him. Misa's eyes fell upon the scuff marks and tears on his precious trench-coat, and realized he sustained several bruises. Smiling, he assured her it was not her fault.

Aasaa and Misa retold the battle while everyone ate dinner in the kitchen. They went ahead without Simo Häyhä who insisted on watching over the house. Meanwhile, Don Quixote sat beside Misa, chomping voraciously, living up to her Berserker Class, nodding between mouthfuls as her Master engaged in an adorable one-way conversation with her. Seated beside Aasaa, Hou Yi smiled when his Master got to the part where he posed as Lancer.

"I tell you, I made them look like idiots. One of the magi wasted a Command Spell on defending against the fake lance." Hou Yi took a swig from his glass, before putting it down with a light tap. Seeing his Servant happily chat with the others pleased Aasaa.

"What's more interesting is that they spoke negatively of a magus named Fezgrem, who intended to summon the Lancer, Gordafarid," Aasaa revealed.

Hannes listened intently, trying to recall Fezgrem's role during the Battle of Helsinki Old Church.

"Fezgrem really hates Sircolia," Misa confirmed. She too paid attention, and was all too familiar with the prickly, closed-off member of Sircolia's inner-circle.

"We could recruit him," Aasaa suggested, interested at the prospect of uniting all the participants. A hero should seek cooperation over conflict.

"I don't know, he kept to himself mostly. Even I don't know much else about him." Misa looked to him as she handed Don Quixote another serving.

"Alright, good job, though you lost a Command Spell, you saved this-" Hannes cast a disapproving look upon her. "Person and got us valuable intel."

Aasaa gave him a dirty glance when he referred to Misa as "this person." Pity welled in him again when Misa adjusted the device he attached to her neck. "Hannes, Misa fought bravely today, and Sircolia attacked her. This is enough proof she is irrevocably on our side. Remove this now."

"Give it a few days, she needs to learn the consequences of helping that bastard." Hannes took a bite and chewed as he spoke, putting on a stern bravado to show he would not budge.

Hannes' ill-treatment towards her irked. Aasaa understood his behaviour as natural, but it affected their cohesiveness as a group. He decided to let this matter rest, as Hannes still mourned his associates knowing he would not change his mind. Lamenting on his inability to change Misa's situation, he decided a change in topic would do everyone good. "Shiori, if you don't mind, please tell us about your intended Servant."

She paused, and swallowed before asking. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, go ahead, what makes your Servant so special?"

She started off slow, unsure of how to do her Servant justice. "My Servant will be Florence Nightingale. Known as the Angel of Crimea, or the Lady with the Lamp." Shiori's voice grew louder, sounding more confident. Naming Florence Nightingale's titles filled her with confidence and admiration "My intended Servant braved the Crimean War, and emerged as a hero. She many lives by improving healthcare and living conditions for the soldiers. She then returned to establish modern nursing. She essentially created my profession."

"Interesting." Hannes put his cup down, and made a teaching gesture. "When you summon her, you will get a data sheet so you will know the details of her parameters, abilities and Noble Phantasms."

Aasaa explained to her the definitions of those terms, as she did not understand. He then spoke his piece.

"My Servant is-"

Hou Yi got up, pushing his chair behind him, making a loud scraping noise as he waved at everyone. He cut Aasaa off and finished for him. "The best Archer."

Aasaa looked away in the face of his Servant's drama. "When the Earth had 10 Suns, the Gods blessed him with the power to shoot them down so the Earth would not be scorched. Hou Yi shot down 9 of them, and received a pill of immortality."

With his deeds of valour now mentioned, Hou Yi proceeded to flex his prowess with my materializing his Noble Phantasm and showing it off. Aasaa pretended not to notice before continuing. "He never took it as he cared not for an immortal life if he could not spend it with his wife. His Noble Phantasm is in the form of 9 powerful arrows from his bow." Aasaa spoke with an engaging tone, keen on doing his Servant's heroic origins justice. He finished the story there, reluctant to continue as his story ended tragically, and he did not want to offend him.

"My Piercer of Nine Suns gave the enemy Master a scare. I hardly exerted myself," proclaimed the Servant as he pumped his fist in the air.

"I suppose now's my turn." Hannes shared with them about Simo Häyhä's Noble Phantasm and spoke of how he killed 542 enemies in the Winter War, the current world record for the most sniper kills. "That's why they called him the White Death."

"Misa, would you like to tell us about yours?" Aasaa asked.

She got up cautiously, hesitant to speak, sensing Hannes' aura of dislike for her. "My Servant, Don Quixote, yearns to restore the days when knights upheld the values of chivalry. She wandered Spain, as a knight, embarking on many adventures with her loyal companions Sancho, a farmer, and Rocinante, her horse. The adventures often ended in failures-"

A growl of protest from Don Quixote interrupted her. Aasaa and Shiori chuckled at her lively reaction.

"-but what most importantly, Sancho and Rocinante never left Don Quixote's side. They had fun no matter the outcome. They finally retired from their travels decades later, and Don Quixote passed away soon after, satisfied with her work. Their story was not about the success of their mission, but how 3 friends spent a lifetime on a fun-filled adventure."

Satisfied with her explanation, Don Quixote ripped the largest drumstick from the serving plate and presented it to Misa

"Your Servant likes you. I think you would fit right into Don Quixote's little team." Aasaa smiled as he watched them.

Misa glimmered at his comment, and expressed her desire to go on such a journey. She revealed she sought the Helsinki Grail to end to her lonely existence, and earn recognition. It meant the world to her to prove that an orphaned magus can make it without a Family Crest.

Aasaa listened, sympathy for her blossoming within him as he made it a point to treat her with kindness. Shiori shared the same sentiments as she offered to be her friend, causing Misa to smile, her eyes forming joyful slits. They shook hands, and forged a budding friendship. Hannes continued to show her disdain shooting her an intolerant glare.

After dinner, the guests offered to help to clean up their mess in the kitchen. However, Eijiro and Kaisu told them to take a break, especially for those who just fought. Shiori stayed behind to help them clean, joined by Aasaa and Misa who insisted on doing their part, nonetheless. Finished with his part of the cleaning, he walked out of the kitchen to find Hannes staring at the Nomura Family's pictures.

"Look at how happy the three of them are. They are civilians caught in a Grail War. I cannot let them stay any longer." Hannes shook his head as thoughts of Shiori losing her family burdened him. Their safety could not be compromised by their actions.

"You mean to evacuate them?"

"Yes. I need back-up though. I lost all my associates."

Aasaa proposed the perfect solution. He informed Hannes about the arrival of Shiori's catalyst in two days. The plane would then leave, presenting the perfect ticket out of Helsinki for her parents.

"Eijiro is exiled from the Clocktower. Long story."

"My mother should be able to smooth things over," Aasaa said. "I will contact them later."

"Alright. I will have the last two of my associates find some vehicles for us to go to the airport to collect this catalyst and drop of the two of them."

"Speaking of them, why didn't they join us for dinner?"

"They wanted to go and eat outside, on their own. Seeing the Nomura Family made them uncomfortable. The two of them are brothers, and they lost their family in a fire, before I recruited them."

"I see," Aasaa said, "Sorry."

"Most of my associates have similar stories. Harsh events in our lives threatened to break us, and by banding together, we became strong and found a purpose."

Aasaa reflected on this. He already hated Sircolia for striking them down, but understanding their stories made it more personal.

"Where would the two of them stay?" Aasaa asked, referring to Hannes' 2 associates as they walked out of the front gate. They left behind most of the equipment and resources for Hannes and Aasaa.

"In a motel or something. They cannot bear to be near other families. It brings them to tears." Hannes spoke while carrying several bags.

Aasaa followed him up, seeing Misa resting on the sofa, in silent contemplation.

_She is probably reflecting about her actions or her relationship with Sircolia. We are supportive of her but I think it's time to give her some space. _

Now upstairs, they unpacked their things. Hannes plopped himself on a chair, and covered his face with his eyes. The weight of the Grail War happening hit him, a creeping, hungering sense of doom and failure, that gained strength over time, fed by doubts.

Aasaa felt it too. The battle with Sircolia and Genghis Khan proved one thing. They were heavily outmatched, as against them, the only successful things they could execute were escape plans. He remembered how Genghis Khan defeated Hou Yi in one strike. He did not expect his hero's journey to turn out like this. They sat atop the precipice of failure. Things would only get worse from now, and the price of their failure would leave the world at the mercy of the twisted wishes of Sircolia and Genghis Khan. He shuddered at the possibility of malevolence on an omnipotent scale.

"We failed, didn't we?" Aasaa asked Hannes, checking a map of Helsinki.

"Heh, the fight for the Helsinki Grail has just begun," Hannes put up a fake smile, a cruel performance of feigned enthusiasm to mask the burden of his failure to protect the Helsinki Grail.

Aasaa tried to sound positive. It haunted him, to see those around him hide their emotions. Hannes reminded him of his parents, who hid their worry from him to entertain his wishes to prove himself. Sighing, he said, "Hannes, I don't..."

"What? This is it, the real fight, the chance you wanted." Hannes slammed the table. He kept tabs on a marked-out location off the coast of Helsinki. Aasaa wondered about it, but decided now would be a bad time to ask. His pen smudged the map in his frustration. "What do we do now? Heck I don't know either. Maybe Lord El-Melloi The Second would know."

Aasaa brought his hands to his forehead. He wanted to fight, but not face the threat of global catastrophe. Problems piled up in his mind, he did not know what to do. His years of practice, years of learning about the Grail Wars, it all seemed weak and useless now, in the face of the real thing.

"34 damn years, nothing happens, and now I have lost the Helsinki Grail to some bastard in a day." Hannes' voice broke as he yelled out in frustration. He sounded weak now, on the verge of tears. His life's work, Lord El-Melloi The Second's life's work was in tatters. He mumbled to himself, "without you, we're nothing."

Aasaa guessed he referred to Lord El-Melloi The Second. He sacrificed so much to stop the Grail Wars, and their failures stained his legacy. Though, Aasaa doubted the true effectiveness of the Lord's measures now, as Sircolia had undone everything.

"Aasaa, I will think of something." Hannes scribbled away and checked some notes. When things got tough, he immersed himself in work to dull the pain.

"Do you need my-"

"No... I don't even want to speak to Simuna at this point."

The conversation died off there, and Aasaa sat down to reflect.


	16. Chapter 16

**8th Author's Note:**

**Chapter 17 releases tomorrow :)**

* * *

**Chapter 16: When the Light of Hope Fails **

**(Day 1 of the Helsinki Grail War) **

Aasaa left the room, unable to bear the lamentation of failure. Hou Yi waited for him outside.

"Hou Yi? Is anything the matter?"

"I wonder if an act of benevolence is an option for a wish," the Servant asked.

"It could be possible. If there are magi seeking to win the Grail War, then they must seek the wish that the Helsinki Grail can grant."

"Therefore, if you deny someone such a wish by ending the Grail Wars, then you are denying the world a divine act of benevolence," Hou Yi reasoned.

"Correct, but consider the risks involved. Most Grail War participants have selfish desires. And they fight brutally over it. Many innocents die each time."

"But such divine benevolence can undo any harm."

"It's too risky," Aasaa insisted.

"I understand too, I just want you to perhaps consider winning this Grail War, using its wish to something good for the world, before you end its power forever." Hou Yi entered spirit form to rest.

"I see, since the Grail War has already started, we have no choice." Aasaa gave him one last task, if he felt up to it. "Keep an eye on Misa for me. I saw her sitting alone downstairs,"

"It will be done."

Aasaa made the preparations with his parents to evacuate Eijiro and Kaisu. Once finished, he rested on his bed, thinking through the events today. The failure to protect the Helsinki Grail, Hannes' treatment towards Misa, summoning his Servant, becoming Shiori's mentor. He could not sleep, not with his mind packed with thoughts. His head on his pillow, he stared at the ceiling, eyes unfocused as his mind meandered and contemplated.

Downstairs, Hou Yi sat in the living room in spirit form, watching Misa resting on the sofa, her Servant now materialized beside her. She moped in silence for an hour before she finally spoke. "Don, what do I do?"

Don Quixote turned to her, looking at her in the eyes, encouragingly. She growled softly.

"I trusted Sircolia for so long, and he raised me like a lamb for slaughter."

Don Quixote continued to look at her, appearing concerned. She shivered slightly. The encounter with Sircolia and Genghis Khan still fresh in her head.

"And I'm involved in the assassination of a Lord. I know of many of Sircolia's schemes in the Clocktower. With the war in Helsinki, his deeds, and my connections to them will be revealed. The Mage's Association will come hunting me soon. And I have nothing to defend myself with, nothing to make them forgive me."

Don Quixote placed her hand on Misa's shoulder. She then hugged her Master, making soothing noises. Misa put her hands to her face, and began to cry. Beside her, on the sofa's armrest, sat a small ball of light, glowing mournfully. The living room had gone dark besides the faint glowing ball of light, as everyone else retired for the night.

Aasaa now communicated with his Servant, deciding to postpone his sleep for a while. Hannes remained awake as well, busying himself with writing something down on the table, using a small lamp as illumination. Aasaa did not expect Hannes to sleep tonight. He lost nearly everyone in his life in one day.

"Hou Yi," Aasaa spoke through the Master-Servant link.

"Yes Master."

"How is Misa doing in the living room?"

"About that, is she supposed to be here?"

"Shiori offered her the other guest room, but Hannes threw a fit and called her undeserving of a bed. I tried to reason with him, but he stormed off. Shiori just caved-in to what he said, and let her sleep downstairs."

"I see, what despicable treatment."

"So about her, she's still here, and not doing well."

"Oh no, what happened?"

"She is talking about her crimes. Crying and hugging her Servant. I can't watch this anymore."

"Should I come down?"

"In a while. I hear someone. I will report what I observe to you."

"Alright."

Shiori walked down the stairs, whispering to herself. "Let's see if the pantry has any more coffee bags. My room's empty."

She reached the living room and turned towards the kitchen when she heard sobbing and sniffing. She remained quiet, unsure if she should get involved. Her heart throbbed Misa.

Misa brought herself closer to Don Quixote. "Hannes hates me. He blames me for his friends' deaths."

Don Quixote shook her head, as trying to insist Misa was not at fault

"Where do I go from here? We have no chance of defeating Genghis Khan. I'm surrounded by enemies. Will the Clocktower send people over here to look for us?"

Don Quixote continued to sooth Misa by patting her back. She did not understand some of what Misa said, though she understood her grief, and gave her comfort.

"Misa is being comforted by her Servant. She's very scared of what the consequences of her crimes will be. Shiori is down here too though she is only observing," Hou Yi reported.

Aasaa thought to himself. _Don Quixote is a fantastic Servant. She cares for her Master greatly. _

"Enough now, Master." Apparently, Hou Yi picked up his thoughts.

"Don't get jealous, I think you're great too."

"Really? Never mind then, I won't pursue the matter," Hou Yi said.

Shiori turned around, and tiptoed away to prepare 2 cups of coffee. Her hands trembled as she did, her concern for Misa growing. It gnawed at her, how sad she appeared. She returned to the living room, and sat beside her. With both hands, she handed her a cup of coffee.

"Thanks, but you shouldn't have. I don't-" Misa said, guilt still in her eyes. She loathed herself for what she did.

"You deserve this more than anyone now. No one should have to cry alone in the dark," Shiori said.

Don Quixote pointed animatedly at herself, trying to impress upon her that she had been here all the while to comfort her. Shiori noticed, apologizing to the indignant Berserker before handing Misa a warm wet towel.

"Use this. Clean yourself up. I can bring you to the empty bedroom."

"I'm fine, I'll stay here for tonight. Thank you for everything."

"You're welcome. Thank you for fighting for our cause. If only I could fight like you. What you did is not your fault."

"I guess. He told me that too, but the consequences remain. People out there will come looking for me." Misa took a gingerly sip, her face lighting up upon tasting the rich, sweet coffee.

"I don't think it will end so badly. The way I see it, they would be more concerned with what Sircolia or whatever his name, is doing. I think Aasaa intends to stand up for you, and argue for your innocence." Shiori joined her and took a sip too. Misa saw the layer of froth coating Shiori's upper-lip, and smiled.

"He is? I don't think I'm worth that much. He can'toppose the entire House of El-Melloi."

"Well, speaking to Aasaa made me realize one thing. He is undeterred by challenge. We may find ourselves in difficult situations, but that doesn't mean you stop trying," said Shiori.

"What should I do then?"

"You should find your motivation try your best. Even when the situation looks hopeless, because to stop trying would be to roll over and die. I'm not going to let that happen, so here I am." Shiori recalled what Aasaa thought her.

"Thanks. Since I'm already in this position, I might as well help you guys and redeem myself," Misa said.

They shook hands. Now feeling more confident, they wished each other good night. Misa replenished the power in her light orb, and slowly drifted off to sleep, her Servant at her side. Satisfied with how she helped her new friend, Shiori returned to her room to drink her coffee. She looked at a board game on her table. It had been a while since she played with someone. Smiling at the words on the box, "Starlight Heroes," she knew just who to invite to play with her tomorrow.

Hou Yi reported what Shiori said to Misa downstairs. Aasaa remained silent, impressed by her actions.

"Misa is alright," Hou Yi said. "You have a fine student, Master. Do you still want to come down?"

"It won't be necessary. Thanks."

"Rest well Master. You've had a long day."


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17: The Second Day**

**(Day 2 of the Helsinki Grail War)**

Aasaa woke up to find a note on his desk.

_Left house with Simo Häyhä. We are scouting the route to Helsinki Airport, and placing wards in preparation. I have set up an emergency notification tied to your communicator if anything happens._

He guessed Hannes had got over what happened yesterday, though more likely, he merely suppressed it, and devoted himself to finding a solution. He respected him for being able to work something out while under such crushing stress.

After getting ready, he went down to speak to Shiori's parents. Shiori emerged from the kitchen holding a cup of coffee chilled with ice. Misa followed her, munching on a white chocolate bar.

"Mr and Mrs. Nomura, the Helsinki Grail War has begun. For your safety, we have to evacuate you." Aasaa explained to them the precarious situation. He tried to cushion the blow, and apologized profusely.

They accepted the proposal, dismayed the turn of events.

"Mother, father, I don't want you to go. You're all I have." Shiori hugged her parents. Her eyes were misty.

Eijiro whispered words of reassurance into her ear before turning to Aasaa. "When do we leave?"

A lump formed in his throat. Looking at Shiori, huddled with her parents, he wrestled his emotions and answered, "Tomorrow. We leave for Helsinki Airport at 10am."

"Alright, we better get packing."

Aasaa checked on Misa, only receive news that Hannes treated her poorly before leaving. Sensing her pain, Shiori consoled her with white chocolate and coffee.

It was now mid-afternoon. Eijiro and Kaisu prepared lunch for everyone, much to Aasaa's relief as he did not need to do any cooking. Shiori finalized the details for evacuating her family from Helsinki, sitting across to Aasaa in the living room.

"So, I thought I would teach you how to turn your fire spell into an offensive weapon. Before we start, I will demonstrate some Magecraft," Aasaa said.

"Alright, I want to watch." Shiori took a step back, the thought of witnessing a fully-fledged magus in action intrigued her.

"First, I have Gradation Air, what you would more often refer to as Projection mage-craft," Aasaa said, before projecting a sword in his palm. He explained he used them as thrown weapons, while holding one for parrying.

"Wait, where did the sword come from?" Shiori's eyes flashed with astonishment at the sword created out of thin air. She touched it, running her fingers along the solid metal before giving the edge a soft touch to confirm its sharpness. "So, you literally throw swords at your enemies?"

"Yea, it sounds silly right?"

"No, I would be terrified if someone threw a sword at me," she said. "Like can you imagine-" She made a gesture with her hands to demonstrate how she imagined a flying sword cutting into someone would look like. Misa joined her, smiling as she did.

Aasaa knew far more than basic Projection. He stretched his arms and took a deep breath to collect his thoughts and ready his Circuits. "Now I will show you my special Projection, inspired by my father. With it, I can produce exceptional weapons." He swelled with pride to be able to demonstrate this. Now he just had to ensure he did not mess up. Shiori's eyes widened with excitement before the coming display of power.

"This is where I need my Servant. It helps greatly if I see the weapon I intend to project."

Hou Yi appeared before him, coming out of spirit form.

"Show me your bow," Aasaa said.

"Sure thing, what do you need it for?"

"I'm going to replicate it."

"You're welcome to try, but it's a divine object. With all due respect, I doubt you will succeed." Hou Yi smirked at his Master, before engaging in blatant self-praise about how his bow was unlike anything mortals had seen before.

"Challenge accepted."

"It's on." Hou Yi placed his bow on the ground before his Master. He folded his arms and tilted his head up, inviting Aasaa to challenge him.

Aasaa closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and held his palm open.

"Trace On."

Aasaa's Circuits opened, mana began to flow through them. He could feel his Circuits crackling with energy.

"Judging the concept of creation."

He focused, and visualized the golden material used to produce the bow shaft. The ivory coloured strands that made up the bowstring. The ornate feathers that lined the bow. The divine blessings, bestowed upon it, gifting it with the power to shatter suns.

"Hypothesizing the basic structure."

He estimated the dimensions of the bow, coming within a millimetre of the actual lengths thanks to his years of experience.

"Duplicating the composition material."

This gave Aasaa some difficulty, as the bow's materials were otherworldly, meaning he had to substitute them. A wood speckled with grains of gold formed the bow shaft. He projected the purest silk he could imagine to create a strong bow string. Gold plating followed. What he found most challenging were the golden feathers. They were the feathers of a crow, yet they were gold.

"Imitating the skill of its making."

He visualized making a normal bow first, one not of divine origin. He then imagined himself as Hou Yi's gods, using the connection with him as his Master to fill in the gaps. Beads of sweat dotted his forehead as his face wrinkled with concentration.

"Sympathizing with the experience of its growth."

Aasaa imagined the bow, in Hou Yi's hands. Hou Yi loaded an arrow, stretched the bowstring backwards, and aimed at a Sun before firing. The Sun exploded into a burst of fire in the sky. The process repeated 8 more times.

He then saw himself as Hou Yi using the bow for years, scoring kills on forest game.

The bow now rested in Hou Yi's house. It never fired again after Hou Yi's wife consumed the Pill of Immortality and levitated to the moon. Without his wife, Hou Yi spent the rest of his years giving offerings to the moon, every night. He gave up archery altogether.

"Reproducing the accumulated years."

He condensed all the steps, and fast-forwarded several thousand years, from ancient China, Hou Yi's time, all the way to the present. A network of lines formed in his hands, taking the shape of a bow.

"Impossible." Hou Yi glared at the lines as material filled them, forming a convincing replica of his bow.

"Here, take a look," Aasaa wiped beads of perspiration from his forehead, proud of his handiwork. The disbelief on Hou Yi's face brought him satisfaction.

_Don't bet against Projection magic._

Hou Yi stretched the bow, drawing it. He examined the parts and judging its weight, keen to find the slightest flaw to put a damper on Aasaa's feelings of accomplishment. The replica proved to be formidable in its own right, Hou Yi found it hard to criticize it. "It's not perfect, and about a grade lower than the real version. However, it is usable by mortal hands, and can blast down a house. Very impressive Master."

"I could've done better, I did not have an easy time producing it." Aasaa spoke between pants, as the difficulty of the Projection exhausted him. "I'll admit."

"Looks like you can be the Archer," Hou Yi handed him the bow before plopping himself on the sofa and pretending to fall asleep.

His antics caused Misa to crack up, while Aasaa looked at him in feigned frustration, also struggling to stifle his laughter.

Deciding not to give his annoying Servant any more ill-deserved attention, Aasaa turned to Shiori who blinked soundlessly at the legendary weapon he projected. She caressed its feathers, unable to believe that a divine weapon lay before her, projected within minutes by her mentor.

"Alright. Let's get to work," Aasaa said. He felt awkward all of a sudden. Looking back, his display may have been over the top, though he got a rush of joy from impressing Shiori, who praised his demonstration.

Aasaa looked into her eyes and smiled, before looking away when she noticed. He explained to her the areas for improvement. First, she needed to improve her range. Next, she also needed to feed more mana into it, and will it to burn as the fire does not spread without command.

"So how do I increase my range?"

"Try to create a fire at the farthest location in the living room."

"I'll try."

Shiori opened her palm, and clasped her other hand around her wrist. She aimed at the wall farthest from her, and said her incantation.

"Ich zünde, wie ich will! (I ignite, as I please)"

Mana left her fingertips. A palm sized orb of fire formed in mid-air, 2 meters away. It floated only a third of the way to the wall, burning blue with faint hints of orange.

Aasaa approached it and placed his fingers near the fire. No heat. Even a centimetre away from the fire, the air remained at room temperature. Looking at her, who nodded with confidence, he decided to be brave and touched the fire.

He could feel the mana rippling within the orb, and some heat flowing within the mana, though hardly anything substantial. The heat never left the mana flow and into his hand. It was a strange sensation for him, for instinct told him not to touch fire. He confirmed that the flickering orb was harmless at the moment. Aasaa pulled his hand away, and signalled to Shiori to extinguish it.

"Very nice, your control over this is perfect. Did you father or mother use this Magecraft?"

"My father lost his Magic Crest, so I only inherited a mana-pool of decent size from him. I cannot use his mystic codes. My Mother could create a blast of sparks from her hand, though she never used it as it caused damage. I adapted it into what you just saw."

"For a self-proclaimed "garbage" magus, this is impressive. You should practice this for the rest of the afternoon, until you reach the wall." Aasaa wanted Shiori to understand the potential of her Magecraft.

Aasaa turned to the sofa to find his Servant asleep. Nearby, Don Quixote played with an orb of light, one of Misa's creations. Eyeing the sleeping beauty with mischief, she threw it at Hou Yi. The orb sparked up due to the impact, flashing brightly before its light flickered down again. Its bedazzling display jolted the lazy Archer out of the sofa.

"Ah, uh, yes Master?"

Aasaa pretended to sound angry. "Go guard the house with Don."

"Sure, I suppose I owe you for doubting your abilities." He got up slowly, and picking up his bow. He made sure he picked up his real bow and not Aasaa's knock off which he eyed with suspicion, like a shopper who felt uneasy with an off-brand product.

Hou Yi turned to Don Quixote. "Come Berserker, stop playing with that annoying little-" Unfortunately for him, Don Quixote remained intent on continuing to toy with the light orb. She ran into the kitchen, clutching onto the light orb, and made a growl that sounded like an invitation for a race to the rooftop.

"Alright, if that's how you want to play, I'll oblige." Hou Yi left through the front door and jumped to the roof, leaving Aasaa, Shiori and Misa behind. The three of them took a break and helped themselves to coffee, which was so abundant in the house that Aasaa expected it to flow from the taps. Glad to be in good company, Misa broke her chocolate bar into 3 pieces and shared it with them.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18: Flashfire**

**(Day 2 of the Helsinki Grail War)**

Sircolia sat on a wooden throne produced by Genghis Khan. Bram Nuada-Re and several search parties of Mongolian warriors were deployed. Mid-afternoon came and went, and none of them returned yet.

His hand held his father's last note. 29th August 2017. Kirschtaria adopted him the year earlier, at the age of 10. His father gave him all his Magic Crests, and sent him to study at the Clocktower, intending for him to become a fully-fledged magus, and destroy the Clocktower from within. The war between Kirschtaria and Ritsuka Fujimaru (protagonist of Fate/Grand Order) reached a standstill. The intended to use Sircolia as his secret weapon.

The tide turned abruptly in 2017, and Kirschtaria faced insurmountable losses. He knew he could not win in his life, and resorted to activating a failsafe. That was the purpose of the Helsinki Grail. Made by Kirschtaria, it was a Grail that could allow someone following his footsteps to accomplish his goal after he was gone.

Kirschtaria entrusted Sircolia with using the Helsinki Grail to complete his mission, before going to face Ritsuka Fujimaru. Kirschtaria fell after a daring last stand. While the Clocktower celebrated Ritsuka Fujimaru's victory, Sircolia kept to himself and mourned his father's demise.

Sircolia proved to be a prodigy, outstripping even his Instructors with his magical talent. People began to worship him. Less capable magi flocked to him, hoping to gain something from his scraps. He became an Instructor after his training completed, and gained multiple top positions in quick succession. All the while, he never abandoned his goal. Years later, he formulated a plan that required the Helsinki Grail. One thing led to another, and now he oversaw the Mongolian army that nearly conquered the world.

Sircolia shielded his face from a ray of sunlight filtering through a cracked church window. Pointing at the offending window, he ordered a Mongolian warrior to cover the window. Tired of waiting, he called his Servant to speak to him. "What would you do if you possessed the wish-granting power of the Grail?"

Genghis Khan reflected before speaking. "A job is without value until it is finished. I died with my goal to conquer the world incomplete. When I awoke in this age, my kingdom had long since vanished. Mongolia is only a fragment of its original grandeur. I wish to try again, and this time I will be immortal, with the Helsinki Grail at my disposal."

"World domination. What more could I expect from you?"

"Before me, the world was a mess. I brought order and progress. It is my duty and right to lord over all."

"If you say so," Sircolia said. "I wish to see my father again. I want to see the man who set me on this path again, he who took me in and gifted me with power beyond any other magi. I want to achieve his goal."

"What did you father wish?"

Sircolia lied. His father's true goal of remaking the world would erase Genghis Khan's empire, and saying it would offend him. "He wanted peace, a united world."

"Simple. I conquer, put in place my laws and there will be order. The people under my rule never dared to stick a toe out of line."

"You mean through violence?" Sircolia asked.

"I always offered my foes a chance to surrender, and be rewarded handsomely. Follow me and prosper. And yet, they chose to die, covered in dust and blood. They could not see the truth. God sent me to lead. I will deliver, regardless of the means."

"Alright Genghis Khan, show me what you can do to achieve this."

Genghis Khan unsheathed his scimitar, raised it to the heavens and bellowed. Lightning and gusts of wind crackled from it. Dust began to swirl, forming several mounted warriors. These were larger than the others, and wore ornate armour. Their weapons were menacing, and their faces stern. Fist at their chest, they pledged loyalty to Genghis Khan.

"Master, before you stand 3 of my greatest generals. Jebe, Subutai, and Muqali. They will aid the directing of my troops, a total strength of 120,000, though I will need time to summon them."

Sircolia greeted the generals and welcomed them. "How many more Generals can you bring back? I sense strong mana in them."

"29 more. This is the first wave."

"I have an army, and the strongest Servant alive. There is nothing we cannot accomplish."

"Master," Genghis Khan asked. "We have yet to locate the enemy."

Sircolia pondered, considering Aasaa and Hannes to be the benevolent type, and decided on a strategy to draw them out. "Send your Generals to kill humans as they please, as long as they do not draw too much attention. I want them to show our foes the price of running and hiding."

"You mean to prey on their heroism. Brutal, yet psychologically breaking. It will be the perfect way to force them to act," Genghis Khan smiled at the order, his grip on his scimitar tightening as a chilling sensation ran through his veins.

Meanwhile, Shiori stared at the wall. Her gaze refused to leave it for even a moment. She panted, her hair matted with perspiration. Strain erupted in her hand, which had been outstretched for over an hour. She never practised so hard in her life.

Her fire orb could reach 4 metres away from her, double the original distance. Unfortunately, her progress plateaued, and improvements were in inches, or less. Grumbling at her inability to improve, she found little point in continuing as she had reached her maximum potential.

Aasaa's hand rested gently on her shoulder as he whispered into her ear. "Here, take this bit of mana, and try one more time. Afterwards, we can take another coffee break."

Shiori turned to the empty sofa, Misa's little corner. She left with Don Quixote to buy takeaway iced coffee from a nearby café. Hou Yi did not take too kindly to being the one who had to watch the house. He left his dissatisfaction in the form of an arrow piercing through a cartoonish scribbling of Don Quixote's face. Aasaa could not help but find it amusing.

Shiori clasped her hand around her wrist, and used Aasaa's mana to push her orb forward. Her orb ballooned to the size of a beach ball, but cast only 2 meters from her.

"I did not expect that. Feeding it mana does not help propel it. The extra mana instead goes into increasing the size of the orb."

"Sheesh, this is hard." Shiori's arms slumped as she let out a sigh, frustrated with her lack of progress. She scratched her head, and flecks of perspiration flicked into the air.

Aasaa brought her a towel. "Misa's home. Come, let's take a break."

Misa presented Shiori with a cup of iced coffee.

"Ooh this one's my favourite, how did you know?"

"I saw three of these cups in the trash when I helped you earlier. Just how much do you drink?"

Shiori tried to justify her gross over-consumption when Misa said, "No worries, I can't judge." Misa held up a bag of chocolate. Don Quixote munched on a bar behind her. She tried to read Hou Yi's scribble of her, the one he pierced with an arrow. She let out a growl of frustration when she realized she looked at it upside down.

Aasaa sipped his coffee, making a mental note to get the specifics of Shiori's favourite drink from Misa later. Shiori's progress impressed him, though there were things he did not understand. Fire should not require manual direction to spread its heat to the surroundings, and Shiori repeatedly insisted she barely controlled it. Such control was unprecedented. It then occurred to him that Shiori perspired way too much. The mid-autumn weather chilled him, even under the trench-coat, and the Sun had almost set. He turned off the heater when Shiori started to perspire, yet it did little to cool her down.

"I figured it out. I think I have a hypothesis regarding your fire orb," Aasaa said.

"What? Tell me?"

"The temperature is 10 degrees. Misa and I are wearing jackets, while you are wearing one layer. How is are you perspiring so much?"

"Dad told me magi heat up when using their Circuits, is it not true?"

"Correct, but not to this extent. When I touched your shoulder, your body temperature was roughly above 40, the temperature of a raging fever."

"So, I generate more heat than normal?"

"Nope. I think the heat of your fire stays within your body until you decide to use it."

"What does this mean?"

"Simply put, you store the heat in your body, and when you want to eat something up with your fire, you channel the heat from your body into the fire." Aasaa recalled how she directs the fire towards what she wants to heat. Instead of boiling water, she could be scorching her enemies. "If you have been practising this since young, your body is used to doing this. This would make you almost immune to fire."

"Wow, I never thought of it that way." The possibilities seemed endless to Shiori as she imagined the many applications, mundane or otherwise. For once, she regarded her own Magecraft as more than an elaborate heater.

"I know Sircolia has a lava orb ability," Misa said.

"I faced it yesterday. Terrifying."

"It is around this big," Misa stretched out her arms to show Shiori.

"Yea and it rolls after you, correct?"

"Yup, I can still remember the rumbling noise it makes. I would like to see Shiori walk through fire," Misa said. She was familiar with Sircolia's spells, being his former follower.

"Hold on now, we don't know just how attuned to fire Shiori is. We need to test it over the next few days." Aasaa turned to her, wondering if she could stop lava.

"I don't mind. Though I'm not exactly rushing to stick my hand over a stove," Shiori said.

"Don't worry, it will be a controlled environment." Aasaa assured her safety procedures will be in place, and he would be watching over her. Shiori nodded, satisfied with his measures. He praised her efforts today, earning a smile from her as her face lit up with accomplishment.

_Instead of running mana through her Circuits, she converts a portion into heat and has it circulated within her. _

Magi with informal training often subconsciously developed strange ways to perform Magecraft. His father was a key example, converting his nerves into Magic Circuits just to perform Reinforcement.

Shiori practised one more time. She got into position, ready to cast the spell. "Aasaa? Give me mana again."

Aasaa reacted immediately, eager to pass her some. His hand approached her shoulder. Shiori turned around and asked him to transfer it to her hand. Aasaa observed her facial expression, wondering what she was thinking. Their fingers met, followed by their eyes, and Shiori received a huge portion of mana from Aasaa.

"Enough?"

"Yup." Shiori smiled at him. They practised several more times, sharing more about themselves in-between casts. With continued progress, anything seemed possible, and Aasaa found himself fearing the Grail War less.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19: A House United**

**(Day 2 of the Helsinki Grail War)**

"I've planned the route, and placed wards every 500 meters. The journey will be safe." Hannes returned from his mission and now addressed the rest of the team. He pointed at a map of Helsinki, the route to the airport lined in red. Crosses marked the locations of his wards.

Everyone gathered round the living room before a table where the briefing materials for the mission were laid out. Aasaa listened, noting how the route they planned to take was windy. Hannes' route favoured crossing into areas with skyscrapers and high-ground, giving Simo Häyhä and Hou Yi vantage points to shoot from.

"There will be two vehicles. One decoy and one actual one." Hannes began to assign people. "Aasaa, Shiori, her parents and I will be in the actual vehicle. Misa will be alone in the decoy. The vehicles are modified trucks and can contain up to 8 people."

"Hannes there is a problem with your plan." Shiori slammed her fist on the table.

Aasaa rose to back her up, though he waited for her to speak first.

"Misa is once again the bait. The enemy will target her for sure."

"It's okay Shiori, let him do what he wants. I deserve this." Misa stared at her feet

"You are a human being, not some tool. If Hannes treats you like one, he's no better than the other magi," Shiori said. Aasaa felt a sense of recognition when she used the same words he did when he described Misa's device.

"Hannes. With me. I need to speak to you," Aasaa folded his arms. He decided to go tough on Hannes now, since Shiori wanted Misa's device removed.

"Alright, give us a moment." Hannes walked with Aasaa to the basement.

"You are a professional above all else. I know you are mourning their deaths, but this is affecting our team's performance. How many times do I have to explain to you?" He folded his arms, refusing to back down now.

"She's the least important mem-"

"No one is the least important here. We are in this together." Aasaa raised his voice, the fact Hannes saw her as lesser infuriated him. "Look me in the eye and tell me you disagree. You disgrace your younger self."

Hannes glowered at him, and raised his fist. "She killed my men. She killed Lord El-Melloi The Second."

"Sircolia killed them, not her. Do you think any of them would approve of you bullying her?" Aasaa persisted, determined to make him see. "It's not about who did what, but how we cooperate to end the war and protect innocents. This is unbecoming of us. We are better than the enemy, our morals have to show it too."

Hannes relented after continued aggressive prodding. "I suppose you're right. I failed Lord El-Melloi The Second, and I failed you. I'll be the decoy."

"Alright. Now, apologize to Misa. She is genuinely sorry for her crimes. She broke down last night. Punishing her further is not justice." Aasaa remembered the incident, the warmth he felt when Shiori comforted Misa who cried last night. He regarded it as compassion in its purest form, an ideal he sought to uphold.

"I'll do what I must." Hannes took a few steps, then stopped. "Aasaa, I can't look at her in the eye. I'm in the wrong. How do I tell her?"

"She had to look at us in the eye and ask for our mercy. Just be brave. If you're sincere, she will forgive you." Images of Misa begging and apologizing as she during the interrogation flashed in his head. No hero should ever have to do something like this.

Hannes stepped out of the basement, voice shaky as he braced himself. "Misa, my behaviour has been deplorable. I treated you terribly. I'm sorry." Hannes face reddened. His voice soft and solemn. He looked at her, several degrees below eye level. "I lost my way. I let my emotions guide me."

Aasaa placed a warm hand on Hannes' back. "Thank you, Hannes, we can now put this behind us."

Hannes deactivated the device from Misa's neck. It loosened and fell to the floor. Before it shattered on the ground, Misa picked it up. Hannes volunteered to be the decoy.

"I'll go with him. If he's risking his life, I'm standing by his side," Misa said.

"Misa, you don't have to. The decoy does not have to be more than one person."

"He has no Servant to protect him, since Simo Häyhä is with the other group, I should go so at least Don can protect us."

Aasaa found the situation strange, theorizing she wanted to accompany Hannes and use the time together to reduce the distance between them. He would never know, though he respected her even more now.

**(Day 3 of the Helsinki Grail War)**

Shiori looked at the clock, the hands showed a quarter past 1 in the morning. Getting up from her bed, she went downstairs to see if anyone else was still awake. Her inability to sleep did not come from insomnia, but from consuming inhuman amounts of coffee. She walked down the stairs, her feet making soft patting noises as she went. She straightened her tangled hair as she walked. An empty living room greeted her, though there were signs that someone was in the kitchen. She knew who it was the moment she heard a plastic wrapper being crumpled. White chocolate had a plastic wrapper.

"Misa? What are you doing at this hour?"

"I fancied a drink. The chocolate made me thirsty. What about you?"

"I can't sleep." Shiori rubbed her eyes.

"Well I can see why, you smell like coffee. Coffee head!"

"Hey, you're going to get fat with the amount of chocolate you're eating."

"I'm stressed, okay?" Misa crossed her hands.

"So am I."

"What does that make us? Two addicts?"

"Yep," Shiori recalled the number of cups she consumed today.

"Yea, I guess," said Misa. She stretched her hands and let out a long yawn.

"Misa, mind staying awake a little longer?"

"Sure, what? Is it something fun?"

"Yep, you'll love this. Set up a table in the living room, and get us some drinks. I'll come back soon."

"I'm limiting your coffee. Someone has to control you."

"Sheesh, now I'm the one being oppressed,"

"Hey, too soon. I'm going to bed now."

"No no Misa wait, I'm sorry."

Misa created several balls of light, and cleared the table. She laid out two cups of iced water, and waited for Shiori to return. Shiori returned with a board game. "This is Starlight Heroes, do you know what it is?"

Misa stared at the cardboard box painted in hues of blue, purple and pink, and dotted with silver coloured stars. She examined it closely, attempting to figure it out.

"I have never seen this before."

"It's a board game."

"Oh, you mean like Servant Chess?"

"What's that?"

"The 7 Classes in a Holy Grail War on a 7 by 7 chessboard."

"I have never heard of it before. Should we play it instead, given our situation, it might be useful."

"I don't have a set with me. So, I guess we'll play your game instead."

Misa examined the game pieces, a folded-up board which showed a picture of a galaxy, and several dice. She picked up a deck of cards.

"I am confused. Why do we have a map, pieces, cards and dice. How many games are we playing?"

"Don't worry I'll explain everything."

"Hang on, it says here 3 players recommended. Hey, Don, do you want to join?" Misa invited.

Don Quixote materialized. She took a seat beside them. On the table.

Shiori explained the rules, while Don Quixote did everything but pay attention. They played the game for 15 minutes.

"Hah, you're surrounded," Misa said.

"I still have 2 Health Points."

"Soon to be 1, once I place enemies in your only escape path."

Don Quixote watched them play as she got herself eliminated early on with overly reckless plays.

"You know Shiori, this is quite fun. I think I got the hang of it. Thanks for playing with me. It's so fun to spend time with you." The pleasant company, the engaging game. She felt alive. She rested her head on her hand as she twirled one of the game pieces.

"Oh? We can do other things together. Maybe we could watch a movie tomorrow."

The prospect of even more fun together brought her a flurry of excitement. "I actually do not mind. Though I don't know how to operate your TV."

"Just let me handle it tomorrow." Shiori pointed at herself, glad to be the provider of entertainment once again. The two of them had a blast. As the game ended, Shiori and Misa discussed other matters.

"Shiori, wanna know what I want from the Helsinki Grail?" Misa sighed, preparing to share.

"What? It must be something you really want or maybe something otherworldly. Right?" Shiori brought herself closer to her, attention taken off the game. She pondered on what she wanted, as she waited for Misa to start.

Misa told Shiori she wanted it to grant her the chance to go on a long adventure with a group of friends. "I don't care for the location or the result. I just want to enjoy the journey, try new things and meet new people."

"I would love to go with you, provided its safe." Shiori smiled as she finished her turn.

"Well if you want safety, Aasaa can be our guide," Misa said, as she rolled the dice, eyes still on her. "So, what would you wish for?"

"I honestly don't know. I don't have anything I really want. Perhaps a peaceful and happy life." Shiori shrugged, she wondered why she found it difficult to answer this question with a definite answer.

"You could at least wish for money to fund our adventure."

"I'll say a wish that no harm befalls us on the journey."

"Then what's the thrill in that?"

Shiori pondered if she wanted anything thrilling if it meant she had to take risks.

"Sorry. But I'm exhausted," Misa rested her head on the table. Her sugar-rush ended, causing her to become drowsy.

"Wait we're almost done," Shiori eyed the pieces, calculating the number of turns left.

"Hi, can't sleep?" A voice came from behind.

"Woah, who's there?" Shiori turned around to see Aasaa in his trench-coat, smiling at the two of them. She found his attire odd for a moment, wondering if he slept in that, but did not give it further thought.

"What the, what are you doing here?"

"I heard the sounds of an epic battle from my room, I came down to see for myself."

"Were we loud?" Misa asked. "Also, can you take over? I hate to say, but I'm sleepy."

"My room is directly above the living room I believe," Aasaa gazed at the ceiling. "Don't worry about Hannes. He only complained about the noise four times before plugging his ears with cotton wool." He could not help but smile at how comical his roommate behaved.

"Oops, sorry," Shiori said, feeling guilty for almost laughing.

"Well, I'm defeated, there's no way out for me. Good game Shiori." Misa shook her opponent's hand. Shiori looked at the board, and realized that she had conceded prematurely. She let it slide, considering her tiredness.

"Don, I let you do what you want for now, just not the 37 things we discussed, such as challenging the clock to a duel." Misa said as she walked up the stairs.

Don Quixote placed her hand on her chest, her armour clinking lightly, and pledged to Misa about avoiding the 37 things.

"Well Shiori, I'm wide awake. What game do you want to play?" Aasaa asked, studying the instructions for Starlight Heroes. He wanted to get the rules down, so he could play with her.

"Do you know Servant Chess?" she asked.

"Know? I'm a Master. I can project a set for us, just give me a while to recall the set I left at home."

"Alright, but go easy on the rookie over here."

"Of course."

Shiori examined the chessboard. It looked familiar yet different. There were no pawns. Just 7 pieces to represent the 7 Classes in the Grail War on each side of the chessboard. At the centre was a Holy Grail.

"Black goes first, and then Red."

"Each piece has different moves? Just like normal chess?"

"Yea."

Shiori struggled to remember the moves of the 7 Classes, and failed to spread her pieces on the board to maintain a board presence. Aasaa proved to be very skilful with the Archer piece, capturing her Saber. She forgot to move her Assassin twice and lost it to Aasaa's Rider. Aasaa's Saber managed to sneak up on her Lancer and capture it. Next, Aasaa's captured her Rider with his Archer.

Aasaa gave Shiori plenty of chances, however, she still could not win. At this point Aasaa resorted to suiciding his pieces, to give her a chance of winning. He wanted her to win, not wanting to be unsporting.

"I think I'll stick to regular chess." Shiori yawned. She moved her Caster, and unknowingly forked Aasaa's Archer and Berserker. Aasaa conceded the Berserker.

A few more exchanges later, and Aasaa lost his Saber to Shiori's Caster.

"You're very good with Caster," Aasaa praised.

"I'm just moving randomly." Shiori smiled, head leaning against her left hand, dozing off between moves.

Aasaa paused the game, and asked if she needs to get back to her room to sleep. Shiori responded with soft snoring, having already fallen asleep.

_Was I such a boring player that even someone with a caffeine overdose could fall asleep?_

He carried her from the table, brought her up to her room, and laid her on her bed. He then spread her blanket over her, before turning off the lights and closing the door.

_Sleep tight. Tomorrow you summon your Servant_. Aasaa thought, closing Shiori's bedroom door behind him.

He had barely settled down when Hou Yi returned from a scouting mission and reported to him. His brow laced in cold sweat, the normally confident Servant no longer grinned, his lips now a thin line. His golden eyes felt like brown.

"Master. You have to see this," he said.

Hou Yi took Aasaa to the location. He found himself overlooking a partially demolished estate. A dozen corpses were mutilated, blood and flesh smeared across the walls. Amidst the gruesome display, one thing shook him to his core, as his feet rooted to the ground. Trembling, he read the crimson words before him.

"Seek us in battle by dawn or more will die."

Aasaa knew who it was. No one else could be this depraved. These people were murdered by Sircolia and his warmongering Servant. He knelt before the corpses in lament, paying his respects.

_I must put an end to this. No more can die like them._

Aasaa cursed Sircolia as his emotions boiled over, lips shaking, as he gritted his teeth to prevent himself from screaming.

"Master, this is beyond forgivable." Hou Yi spoke, his voice low and solemn. "The strike of the Golden Crow will come straight through them."

Hou Yi placed his hand on Aasaa's back, and with a sigh, burned the corpses. Aasaa returned home exhausted, emotionally and physically. He racked his brains on what to do next, and come out empty. A battle with Genghis Khan awaited, as Aasaa could no longer condone his atrocities.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20: Deals in the Dark**

**(Day 3 of the Helsinki Grail War)**

3 AM in a forest at the outskirts of Helsinki:

A campfire crackled near two pitched tents.

"Master, you expect Sircolia to participate in this war correct?" Gordafarid stood beside Fezgrem. They spoke overlooking the campfire. Her breath became frosty as it contacted the chilly air. She used her lance to draw names in the dirt.

"Yes. Bram Nuada-Re allied with him."

"So these two are allied." Gordafarid connected Sircolia's name to Bram Nuada-Re's in the dirt. The air smelled of compost, from all the stirring. Fezgrem crinkled his nose.

"Aasaa and Hannes as allied on an opposing team." she drew another line to connect their names.

"Yes. This leaves Misa, Isilda and one more Master. Misa is captured. She is either dead or allied with Hannes," Fezgrem said.

"Worst case, she is allied with them against us," Gordafarid connected her name to Hannes and Aasaa's. "So Isilda and the last Master. What do you think?"

"Isilda is from the Einzbern Family. They desire to win. If Sircolia is in the war, she would be his enemy. She cannot ally with Hannes and his group because they fought at the church."

"So, she is on her own." Gordafarid circled her name. "The last Master. This is a mystery."

"Thanks to Lord El-Melloi The Second's efforts to protect the Helsinki Grail, not a single registered magus lives in Helsinki. I know this from Sircolia's notes," Fezgrem said.

"Our last Master could be anyone."

"Yes, probably a stray magus, one who is weak. The Helsinki Grail picks the last Master haphazardly, settling for nearly anyone to fill its roster."

"So not a concern. We could ally with such a person. Easy to sway to our side."

"Correct." Fezgrem moved his feet around, uncomfortable from standing for so long. His movement rustled the fallen leaves.

"We have to ally with Isilda, or this Master. There is no other way. The teams are formidable, surpassing us in numbers and resources."

"I suppose. Or we could wait for Sircolia and Hannes' factions to tear each other apart then we come in for the kill."

"Viable. Yet ruthless."

"I can't let Sircolia win. He must not get away with what he's done"

"Master, this is hatred. Why?"

"Sircolia represents the worst of magi. He hides his cold calculating nature behind a facade. He will not hesitate to murder and betray. After him, I will cleanse all magi guilty of such craven acts."

"You seek justice. You want to cleanse the world of evil magi."

"Yes, and I will do anything to see it done. This is the only way the Mage's Association can move forward. Our kind has stagnated due to division and petty infighting."

"Hypocritical. You imply you are fine with committing the very acts you seek to punish."

"If I must. The benefit outweighs the cost. An individual's sins for an entire society's benefit. I must bear the burden."

"It is a flawed way of thinking. You are clouded by revenge, and stand before a dark, twisted path. Please reconsider."

"I have gone so far. I cannot back out now."

"Promise me you will clear your actions with me first. I am a decent judge of right and wrong."

"Very well, you have my word. In exchange, you must not fail me."

"Failing is not what I do. We find Isilda before dawn. Once allied, we will stand a chance."

Deep below Helsinki, Isilda and Guy Fawkes planned their next move. "The bombs are ready, and the network is carved. Soon, we can begin to transport them to these locations," Guy Fawkes said.

"I find this exercise pointless," Isilda complained.

"Master, I am not your conventional Servant. I need chaos, and the time to build an army. A well-placed attack could kill my original body, and it is vital that I find followers to inhabit."

"Yea, why is data sheet being full of Es?"

"My strength lies in sowing anarchy and avoiding death, not direct combat. If you want me to be stronger, I need to harvest a Servant's power using my Guy Fawkes Night. Who should we target first?"

"If you can harvest their power, and gain their strength, I say we go after a lone Master. Like Fezgrem. Then we go after the teams."

"A sound plan. I will now take to the streets and rally the people. With my Skills I will turn heads, move hearts and change minds."

"Then do it. Spare no cost. I must win this war. Even if I have to burn this city to ash."

"With pleasure." Guy Fawkes emerged from his tunnel network. The streets were deserted, as it was currently in the wee hours of the morning. He strolled around, taking in his surroundings. Guy Fawkes reached a row of apartment buildings. Raising his fist, he activated his Memory Correction and Charisma, and placed the sleeping population into a trance.

"Awaken, Arise, Ascend. The bells have tolled. This is the hour of our revolution!"

People snapped out of their slumber, and headed for the streets. They gathered around Guy Fawkes, and formed a small mob.

"My oppressed brothers and sisters. For too long we have lived in the shadow of the mighty. We must reverse this now, and them who to fear."

The mob cheered for Guy Fawkes. They picked up random objects found on the streets to use as makeshift weapons. Some returned to their homes and emerged with flammable items. They tore up the streets, setting buildings on fire. Guy Fawkes raised both his hands in the air. Like a conductor in an orchestra, he directed his mob. He flicked his finger, and a police station down the street blossomed with fire. He planted gunpowder barrels under it prior to this. Two policemen ran out of the building, their clothes ablaze. They tried to put out the flames by rolling on the ground.

Guy Fawkes approached them, and they stopped struggling in frantic agony. Still burning, they came under his spell and joined his mob. They died soon after, their bodies expiring from the fire. By now, the entire street was a scene of chaos. The air ripe with the smell of blood and smoke. Sounds of windows being smashed open punctuated the sound of smouldering fires as they ate away at buildings. Destruction and looting occurring all around him, Guy Fawkes led them to turn on a group of riot police, who showed up in response.

Guy Fawkes approached the men standing behind a wall of Kevlar. His trance took hold of them, and they yielded, joining his growing army. "Our rebellion grows like a parasite in the rotten heart of the unjust rulers. We rise as they fall."

Some of Guy Fawkes' rioters were now fetching gunpowder barrels from the tunnel network, and using them to demolish the buildings.

Fezgrem and Gordafarid saw the pillars of smoke rising from Guy Fawkes' riot.

"Master, over there."

"Yes, I can detect mana coming from it. It can mean only one thing. A Servant has decided to make their move. Take me there at once."

"Affirmative."

A row of buildings were reduced to rubble behind Guy Fawkes as he strolled down the streets, flanked by dozens of rioters. They were fighting against more law enforcement personnel.

"Authority, when faced with chaos at its heels, will resort to the vilest means to avoid its collapse," he said, as several riot police pinned and incapacitated his rioters. He blasted them away with a small gunpowder bomb, and helped his rioters up. Guy Fawkes rallied them to rejoin the fray. "I have come to save you. Authority has imprisoned you and I have shown you the bars."

Guy Fawkes paused. He detected someone approach. It was not law enforcement personnel. He could sense mana.

"And who are you? Do you wish to join my rebellion?" He turned to address the silhouette of a woman and a man. The woman held a lance in her hand.

"Servant, introduce yourself. I am Lancer," Gordafarid said.

"Look at the devastation I have wrought," Guy Fawkes raised his fists in the air, gesturing to the hellish landscape behind him. "I can only be the Avenger."

"Avenger, who is your Master." Fezgrem revealed himself.

Isilda emerged from a tunnel nearby. She recognized Fezgrem at once. The two of them explained their situations and Isilda offered an alliance.

"Master, this is suspicious," Gordafarid said. Fezgrem nodded, and decided to play it safe. "Forgive me, but I would rather stay somewhere else. We can launch a coordinated attack when ready."

Isilda accepted this, and promised to meet for such an operation soon. Not wanting her Servant's riot to draw further attention, she ordered him to withdraw for now.

"Yes Master. A rebellion is not carried out in a night anyway."

The two Masters went their separate ways, though their goals met. They did not see Bram Nuada-Re watching them from a rooftop. Bram Nuada-Re shifted his focus to several concealment wards damaged by the riot, and thus lost their concealment. Noting them down, he returned to Helsinki Old Church.


	21. Chapter 21

**Author's Note:**

**You're in for a treat this chapter, we are getting closer to Florence Nightingale's summoning too. Thank you everyone for your continued support :)**

* * *

**Chapter 21: The Battle of Helsinki Airport **

**(Day 3 of the Helsinki Grail War)**

Bram Nuada-Re returned to the Old Church, exhausted from an entire night of information gathering. He reported the concealment wards to Sircolia, who gave the order to ambush whoever passes through the area.

At 10am, two trucks arrived at the Nomura household, driven by the two remaining associates. Aasaa thanked them for their assistance as they made one last check and loaded Eijiro and Kaisu's things on one of the trucks. Shiori got in with her parents, followed by Aasaa and Simo Häyhä. They were the main group, their destination being Helsinki Airport. In a separate vehicle, Misa, Don Quixote and Hannes formed the decoy group, and set off on a different route. Hou Yi already got to his designated position to overlook the city, poised to fire his golden arrows from atop a skyscraper.

They set off. The journey went smoothly at first. Shiori and her parents were silent, taking frequent glances out of the truck to scan their surroundings. Aasaa focused, trying to pick up even the slightest hint of an attack. He had a sinking feeling that their foes lurked all around, with weapons thirsting for the chance to skewer them. They did not know then, but they soon approached the section with damaged wards.

Aasaa looked out of the wind shield. In front of them stood a towering figure wearing plate armour. He wore a huge cape made of animal fur. Aasaa stared at him, sitting up, realizing the danger they were in. The towering figure walked on the road, as if not noticing the impending traffic.

Aasaa steeled his composure, and asked Hannes' associate to pull the breaks, stopping the truck mere metres from the towering figure. Aasaa now recognized him as Ragnar Lothbrok, the Saber class Servant. He gave the order for everyone to brace for impact when Ragnar Lothbrok raised his sword. He rushed to place his hand on the dashboard, and channelled Reinforcement magic into it. His mana flowed into the truck and hardened its material. His heart pounded as they were trapped in a truck, before the savage Saber Servant. He prayed the truck will hold up, it did, as the truck shrugged of several strikes with only dents.

"You will not escape Ragnar Lothbrok. Come weaklings," he bellowed and swung his sword at the truck. It bit into the truck's metal frame, caught there momentarily.

"Grandiose Armaments Of The Lost King!"

Ragnar Lothbrok's sword grew in size and length. With renewed strength in his next swing, he almost flipped the truck over. Aasaa and the others rattled around inside the vehicle. Due to Reinforcement Magecraft, the vehicle's frame refused to budge despite the mounting abuse dealt to it. Ragnar Lothbrok summoned his shield and smashed the vehicle's plating with its shock wave. Aasaa reinforced the vehicle once more as the attack landed, saving them all from being crushed. Ragnar Lothbrok continued to clobber the vehicle, which shook like a rag doll, while Aasaa strained to hold it together with constant Reinforcement.

Bram Nuada-Re watched his Servant thrash at the vehicle. It began to give way. He smiled as defeating Aasaa would impress Sircolia.

Knife in hand, Simo Häyhä stalked Ragnar Lothbrok while still under Presence Concealment and whispered, "White Death."

The wind howled as snow coated the area. Frost gripped Ragnar Lothbrok, while Simo Häyhä 's allies remained unaffected. He told them to drive away.

Aasaa checked on everyone's safety. No one sustained injuries.

"That was some of the best Reinforcement I'd ever seen," Eijiro praised.

Aasaa and the others could see the snow falling all around them. However, their visibility remained unaffected. Simo Häyhä displayed a great degree of control over the cold, ensuring it did not affect his allies. Outside, the storm grew harsher, and Ragnar Lothbrok struggled in the shredding winds, unable to withstand the frigid torrents of snow and hail raining upon him. He sent out wild splices with swings of his sword, which Simo Häyhä dodged as he slipped around him. Ragnar Lothbrok emitted a shock wave from his shield, which missed Simo Häyhä as well. He lashed around with blind strokes, his behaviour the symptom of desperation and rage.

"Drive!" Aasaa said, and the truck sped forward, jolting him.

"Where are you Assassin! Come out and fight me with honour!"

The combat knife plunged into Ragnar Lothbrok's back. "You went after my allies while they were trapped in a truck. Don't speak of honour." Simo Häyhä locked his arms around Ragnar Lothbrok and tried to subdue him. Roaring in pain as blood poured from his back, Ragnar Lothbrok threw Simo Häyhä off him.

The snow cushioned Simo Häyhä's impact, and he regained his footing, now with his Pystykorva in hand. Flashes of yellow sparks burst out from his gun, sending his foe recoiling.

Ragnar Lothbrok attempted to retreat, but his movements were sluggish. Simo Häyhä gained an Agility boost, and darted to a rooftop in a flash. Now using his sniper rifle instead, he aimed down his iron sight and at his opponent's chest before firing a staccato of shots. To Simo Häyhä, only amateurs aimed at the head, for the chest presented a much larger target, and thus a higher chance of success. Piercing rounds tore into Ragnar Lothbrok's flesh, one after another. Once Simo Häyhä set out to kill his opponent, only elimination would suffice.

Ragnar Lothbrok stumbled backwards, bleeding from his chest, liver, neck and stomach. His sword shuddered in his hand. Mana failing, he was forced to deactivate his Grandiose Armaments Of The Lost King.

His legs weakened and folded. The attacks took their toll, and he coughed blood. His teeth stained red, his breath heaving, the crippled Servant managed to force out, "Shaggy Breeches of Ragnar Lothbrok."

With the activation of his second Noble Phantasm, his armour glowed gold, small beams of light shone out from it. He got up on his feet, now immune to the cold. Subsequent shots from Simo Häyhä glanced off uselessly.

"For all your tricks, you cannot break through this bulwark of mine." Ragnar Lothbrok forced out a taunt as his teeth were stained red, and his breath became shallow.

Simo Häyhä ceased his attack, and disappeared into the blizzard. He now stalked Ragnar Lothbrok's Master, who stood on a rooftop. Bram Nuada-Re found himself caught in the blizzard, freezing and debilitated. He stumbled through the cold in a daze, shivering as the biting cold numbed him and snow-blindness mutilated his senses. The frost attacked like needles, forcing him to place his hands close to his. He staggered around, unable to see his hand in front of him.

Sircolia and Genghis Khan prowled outside the borders of the White Death. They watched Bram Nuada-Re and his Servant get swallowed by it.

"I should use my Flail of God. It allows me to destroy any construct, such as a building or a conjuration," Genghis Khan said.

"Proceed," Sircolia said.

Meanwhile, Bram Nuada-Re wandered through the frozen storm. Cold and afraid, he used a Command Spell to pull his Servant to his side.

Simo Häyhä approached him like a wolf stalking its prey and activated his Pystykorva. Now with the ability to disrupt mana, he fired straight at him. To defend his Master, Ragnar Lothbrok moved in front of the attack to take the shot. Apoplectic with rage, he charged at Simo Häyhä, swinging his sword with a ravening bloodlust, spittle flying from his mouth.

"Master, run!"

Simo Häyhä proceeded to trivialize his show of force by darting around him using his Agility increase. Ragnar Lothbrok was hopelessly out sped, and could not keep up. He turned around, desperate to return to his Master.

Simo Häyhä shot Bram Nuada-Re's chest with his Pystykorva, causing him to clutch his chest in agony, trying to stem the bloody flow. His Circuits failed as the mana following within reacted violently. He collapsed in a pool of blood shortly after.

"I am leaving you barely alive because I want you to command your Servant to kill Genghis Khan," said Simo Häyhä, his expression like ice. "You come to my land bringing war and suffering. There will be no mercy." He stepped on Bram Nuada-Re's sucking chest wound, twisting his foot to force information out of him. A blast of pain shot through Bram Nuada-Re as he cried out in desperation.

"Ragnar Lothbrok, I command you to kill Assassi- Argh!"

Simo Häyhä plunged his knife into Bram Nuada-Re's hand, stabbing into his Command Seals.

Ragnar Lothbrok charged at Simo Häyhä in desperation. He tried in vain as Simo Häyhä slipped past his attacks with ease. He sustained more injuries in the meantime, as his Noble Phantasm wore off. Left with depleting mana reserves from the state of his Master and the losing battle, he resorted to his last Noble Phantasm.

"The Great Heathen Army!" Ragnar Lothbrok called out, screaming to the heavens. This Noble Phantasm retold Ragnar Lothbrok's death, being thrown into a pit of snakes. Snakes emerged from the ground and plunged their fangs into Ragnar Lothbrok's flesh.

A ray of sunlight light pierced the frozen mist. The snow began to clear. Simo Häyhä turned in the direction of his subsiding blizzard, and witnessed Genghis Khan about 200 hundred meters away. He held a golden flail, glowing like a roaring bonfire. He rode forward and approached Simo Häyhä. Now standing before him, he raised the flail, face flushed with menace.

"This is the Flail Of God. Nothing can stand against its sweeping devastation. Not even your snowstorm. Now, when faced with a real opponent, you will fall."

Simo Häyhä made it a point to report the use of yet another Noble Phantasm from Genghis Khan to his allies.

"Surrender, and you will be rewarded."

"No." Patriotism boomed in Simo Häyhä's chest. Genghis Khan threatened homeland, he vowed to make him pay, and raised his weapon with cold determination.

"Fine! Surrender and you will still be slaughtered."

"What?" Simo Häyhä said, preparing to leap away. He moved slower now, without the boost from his White Death. He dodged Genghis Khan's scimitar as it came bearing down on him. The gleaming edge of the scimitar sliced off a sliver of Simo Häyhä's parka.

Backing away, Simo Häyhä gasped as Ragnar Lothbrok's body exploded with a blast of lightning. A Viking army began to materialize, led by his sons. They raised their weapons and blew their horns, the drums of war rumbling like thunder. They charged, descending upon Simo Häyhä like the crashing wave of a tsunami. He fled with the army pursuing close behind.

"Bram Nuada-Re," Sircolia said, kneeling to examine the unconscious Bram Nuada-Re. His wounds seeped with blood, painting the floor red. Genghis Khan took his attention off Simo Häyhä and returned to Sircolia. "Master, he still lives. You must bring him back on horseback. Trust me to hunt down the truck."

"Alright, proceed," Sircolia said.

Simo Häyhä did not run blindly. He lured the army closer to Hou Yi's position, who awaited with a salvo of arrows. He unleashed a golden onslaught, the arrows akin to shooting stars. They buried themselves into the mass of Vikings and exploded. The golden flashes were as hot as the Sun, and sent his foes flying, their bodies scorched and singed.

"No one can match the power of the Golden Crow!" Hou Yi gleamed with pride as he felled more foes with effortless blasts. "You owe me one White Death."

"Yea, after we survive."

"Deal."

The army gave pause, and re-consolidated. They were battered by the attack, though they resumed their pursuit shortly after, now even more ravenous for Simo Häyhä's blood.

Aasaa helped Eijiro and Kaisu out of the truck. They were now at Helsinki Airport. Slamming the door behind them, they followed his lead and ran into the airport. A mysterious looking man found them in the crowd and passed them a package. He wore a mask, clad in a purplish cloak and long pants. His leather boots made no noise as he walked.

"Wait," Aasaa said. "A winter day?"

"A fateful night," the man replied without missing a beat.

"Correct, proceed."

"Here's your item. Nobody would tell me why they needed old letters delivered to Helsinki. Apparently super urgent. Damn higher ups, always being so secretive. Now, who are the people I'm supposed to bring back with me?"

"That would be these two," Aasaa said, inspecting the package. He confirmed it was genuine."

The man picked up their things. "Are we going now?"

"Hold on a minute, I want to see the summoning," Eijiro said.

"I'm sorry Mr Nomura," Aasaa said, "I would have allowed you to watch, but our enemies are nearby. You will have to miss this."

"You're right, come dear, let's go." Eijiro turned to his wife. They bid one last hasty farewell to Shiori and exchanged hugs. Aasaa and Shiori then made their way to a quiet building nearby for their summoning. He cast concealing spells for good measure. Turning to her once the coast was clear, he said, "Shiori, begin the incantation."

Not long after, panicked screams of people fleeing from an attack filled the air.

Genghis Khan walked up to the airport's entrance in broad daylight. He had followed the truck, and found it parked near the entrance. The driver inside did not see his death coming. Surveying his surroundings, he concluded that his prey resided somewhere in the airport. To flush them out, he destroyed a building with his Flail Of God.

"Come out and surrender!" shouted Genghis Khan.

The sight of a man on horseback wielding a scimitar beside a wrecked truck prompted airport security personnel to detain him. "Put your weapon down Sir!" they ordered, guns raised.

Genghis Khan ran forward, ready to slash them. Bullets glanced off him as he went. He made short work of his enemies, and continued to search the airport. More security personnel arrived, greeted by Genghis Khan who raised his weapon at them. "I am Genghis Khan. Ruler of the Steppes! You are foolish to stand in my way."

"Stand down! You are under arrest!"

Genghis Khan knocked a man 15 meters into the air. The man crashed into a wall, cracking it. The rest opened a burst of fire. He moved forward, unblemished by the feeble attacks and proceeded to massacre them all. They were no match for a Servant, let alone on of his calibre.

"Sircolia is coming," Aasaa said. "The screams are getting louder, and people are running for cover." His voice quivered with fury. It sickened him to know that Sircolia would endanger innocents to achieve his goal. Running to confront his foe, he swore to end the bloodshed.

"Aasaa, go and save them. I'll summon by myself," Shiori said.

He gave her one last look as he sprinted off, towards the sound of screams, swords in hand, his trench-coat flapping with mana.

_You have hurt enough people today Sircolia. _

Aasaa exited encountered Genghis Khan instead. The Servant turned to his direction and galloped after him, swinging his scimitar in the air. "Sole Ruler Of The Plains!"

The floor underneath where Aasaa stood shattered away. In mere moments, Genghis Khan's Noble Phantasm ripped and tore the ground with a blast possessing the strength of a pile hammer. His bones shook from the vibration of the impact, the ground still rumbling from beneath him. Even the ground feared what Genghis Khan unleashed. With gritted teeth, and rushing adrenaline, Aasaa grabbed his sword and slashed Genghis Khan's shoulder, desperate to do something, anything to stop his foe. The sword broke. Genghis Khan turned to him and roared, ordering his horse to trample him.

Aasaa rolled to the side, and chucked a freezing gemstone at his enemy. Genghis Khan shattered the ice off his horse with a quick smash from his flail, before resuming the attack. Aasaa projected several more swords and flung them at his opponent. They glanced off. Genghis Khan's Noble Phantasm, Man Of Iron was in full effect. It made him invulnerable to anything Aasaa or even the other Servants could do.

Eyeing the building he ran out from, Aasaa gritted his teeth. Shiori hid inside, summoning her Servant. He needed to protect her at all costs. His hands ached with exhaustion, his attempts to fight Genghis Khan came up futile so far. Still, he resolved to keep fighting, even as Genghis Khan towered before him, ready to cut him down.

Genghis Khan decided to press the attack. Aasaa ducked down to avoid getting his head lopped off by a horizontal cut from Genghis Khan. He went under the horse. A thought occurred to him just as the hooves came down. He used a sword to reflect the light of the Sun into Genghis Khan's horse's eyes, disorientating it. This threw off Genghis Khan's aiming. Aasaa detonated a gemstone that emitted a cloud of smoke, and ran for safety.

_I'm completely outmatched. What was I thinking? His Servant would be here as well._


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22: The Nightingale Pledge **

**(Day 3 of the Helsinki Grail War) **

Shiori's eyes clasped shut as she called forth her power. Her pose was similar to when she cast her fire orb, one palm stretched forward and the other wrapping around her wrist to stabilize it. Light formed around her palm, glowing a calming yellow, radiating the flickering light of a candle lamp.

_Let silver and steel be the essence. _

_Let stone and the archduke of contracts be the foundation. _

_Let salvation and healing be for all. _

_Let rise a wall against the wind that shall fall. _

_Let the four cardinal gates close. _

_Let the three-forked road from the crown reaching unto the Kingdom rotate. _

_I hereby declare. _

_Your body shall serve under me. _

_My fate shall be your sword. _

_Submit to the beckoning of the Helsinki Grail. _

_If you will submit to this will and this reason... Then answer! _

_An oath shall be sworn here! _

_I shall attain all virtues of all of Heaven. _

_I shall have dominion over all evils of all of Hell! _

_From the Seventh Heaven, _

_Attended to by three greet words of power, _

_Come forth from the ring of restraints, _

_Protector of the Holy Balance! _

The summoning circle shone with the same colour as Shiori's palm. Its calming rays illuminated her face. Mana began to swirl, creating winds that fluttered her long black hair. Following this, dark smoke gathered, attempting to smother the light. A figure manifested at the centre of the summoning circle. She raised a lamp, and unleashed a burst of radiance, burning away the dark smoke.

"Master, my light will guide you through the dark."

**Florence Nightingale's Data Sheet **

**Class: Caster **

**True Name: Florence Nightingale **

**Alignment: Lawful Good **

**Parameters**

**Strength: D **

**Endurance: A+ **

**Agility: B **

**Mana: A **

**Luck: A+ **

**Class Skills **

**Territory Creation: C**

Florence Nightingale revolutionized healthcare. She noticed the horrible conditions in the Crimean War and fought to change them. Once she improved the conditions, the death toll fell. This manifests in her ability to alter the environment, making it conducive for recovery. Her allies recover health and mana rapidly when they stand in the area affected by this.

**Item Construction: A+ **

Florence Nightingale can create equipment and tools for healthcare. She can also create weapons to use. With enough materials, she can create enough equipment to supply entire hospitals. She can also create other items besides healthcare or weapons, though at a lower quality.

_**"The most important thing for a hospital is for its conditions to do the patient no harm" **_

**Personal Skills**

**Nurse of Steel: A **

Florence Nightingale can treat the injuries of her allies using bandages, scalpels and medicines created from magical energy. Treatment is possible for Humans and Servants.

_**"Life is a splendid gift. There is nothing small about it." **_

**Understanding Of The Human Body: A **

Florence Nightingale has a near-perfect understanding of human anatomy, and this helps her treat her allies quickly and effectively. This also allows her to target her enemy's vitals with extreme precision, inflicting crippling damage.

_**"The most important lesson is to observe. Observe the symptoms, improvement or worsening. Observe what is of importance and what is not. Observe the evidence of neglect, and what kind." **_

**Angel's Cry: EX **

This is they cry from Florence Nightingale's heart. The spirits of those who hear it stir, and gain a remarkable boost in survival instinct. Can be cast on herself as well, as she strives to survive, so she can continue to protect others.

_**"Rather, ten times, die in the surf, heralding the way to a new world, than stand idly on the shore." **_

**Noble Phantasm:**

**Nightingale Pledge, I Will Abstain From Whatever Is Deleterious And Mischievous **

**C-Rank, Anti-Army **

Florence Nightingale's Noble Phantasm is the sublimation of her mentality. The Crimean War made her adverse to suffering and violence. When her desire to end violence boils over, she can generate a field where no violence can occur, suspending combat. She must remain within the field to maintain it. It costs mana to keep up. After deactivation, she must wait before activating it again. This cool down varies depending on her willpower and mana supply.

Her Noble Phantasm is best used to buy her allies a chance to escape. It cannot win a battle on its own, though it may have powerful applications under the right circumstances.

_**"I owe my success to this: I never gave or took an excuse." **_

"I am Florence Nightingale. My original Class is Berserker. The Helsinki Grail summoned me as a Caster due to a Berserker already being present. My parameters and skills have been adjusted accordingly," she said introducing herself to Shiori. This part was a mandatory explanation provided by the Helsinki Grail through her.

"Caster, it is an honour to meet you. I am Shiori, a fellow nurse."

"I am blessed to be in like-minded company. What is the circumstance of my summoning? Are there lives to save? A battle to fight?"

Before Shiori replied, the answer came in the sounds of more frantic cries. Florence Nightingale motioned to Shiori to follow her. She sprinted towards the cacophony of screaming, and entered spirit form to pass through a crowd of fleeing people.

"Wait up!" Shiori said, trying to keep up with her Servant.

Aasaa hid behind a wall. "You are brave, so live up to your reputation and show yourself." Genghis Khan's voice rang from some distance away. "If you do not come out, I will kill this boy over here!"

The sounds of a bawling child could be heard, followed by an audible knock. Genghis Khan had slapped the child, who now whimpered in agony.

_I cannot let the child die, but if I show myself, I'm as good as dead. He can shatter concrete with a single attack, one good hit and I'm done for. _

Genghis Khan's ruthless behaviour all but confirmed he orchestrated the massacre of civilians last night. Aasaa bit his lip as he clenched his teeth, stifling his fury. He fought with all his might to not give in to his rage. Simmering down, he closed his eyes and began to strategise.

He picked up a small piece of rumble and threw it, making a small noise. Genghis Khan turned to see where it came from. His foe distracted, Aasaa charged from his position, launching swords one after another. Genghis Khan smirked, and swatted the mild annoyances away. His horse let out a burst of speed and crashed into Aasaa, who applied Reinforcement on his clothing moments before the impact. The impact flung him to the ground, where he lay breathless, head bleeding where it scraped against the ground, the jagged concrete shearing off his skin to expose flesh. Aasaa clutched his head, searing with pain. It felt like hot metal rubbing his skin. His other hand trembled, still holding a sword. Letting out agonized pants, he propped himself up against a pile of rubble.

Genghis Khan appeared before him and raised his scimitar. Aasaa struggled to parry, and got disarmed for it. Leaning against the rubble in defeat, he glowered at his enemy, refusing to relent.

"You have not given up. I can see it in your eyes. You have a brave heart, and a soul burning with the rage of an army. It is a pity we are not allies." Genghis Khan gloated at him. The incapacitated Aasaa with a punch before riding back to get the boy. He grabbed him and brought him before Aasaa.

"Because you gave me so much trouble, I will kill him first, and you will watch!"

Aasaa looked at Genghis Khan's scimitar, focusing on its details.

"Trace On."

He channelled his mana. The flood gates in his Circuits opened. The desperation of having to save someone yielded a power he knew not before.

"Judging the concept of creation."

He focused. Scimitar, curved edge, good for slicing. Made for a Khan. Craftsmanship impeccable. Materials exceptional.

"Hypothesizing the basic structure."

A meter long. Guard bent to protect the user's hand. Handle about 15 centimetres. It weighed roughly 2 kilograms, no, 3. He fancied a heavy weapon for stronger cutting power.

"Duplicating the composition material."

He began to project the finest steel available to 12th Century smiths. He made sure the used the perfect alloy composition.

"Imitating the skill of its making."

Made by the finest smiths. Not just the finest smiths. Genghis Khan himself had a hand in its creation. He added personal touches to it.

"Sympathizing with the experience of its growth."

Used to slaughter his enemies. Culled the strong and weak alike. Never failing him for over 20 years.

"Reproducing the accumulated years."

Hand down for generations, before it finally broke, just as the Mongol Empire began to weaken.

"Excelling every manufacturing process."

_Condensing all knowledge of the weapon. Replicating it in its entirety, perfecting its make. _

Aasaa beheld Genghis Khan's Sole Ruler Of The Plains. He raised it, and smashed it into Genghis Khan's attack, just as it neared the neck of the boy. He deflected Genghis Khan's sword, saving him. The force of the impact unleashed a shock wave, and a scatter of sparks, as the scimitar met itself in combat. Genghis Khan flinched from the attack. He stared at his opponent who now wielded a near perfect copy of his scimitar in disbelieving silence.

Aasaa knew his was a shade weaker, and if Genghis Khan activated its Noble Phantasm, Aasaa's version would be a grade lower. Ultimately, the Projection could only buy him some time. He crushed a healing gemstone in his hands to give him enough strength to fight on.

Genghis Khan let out a startling roar. "You dare use my weapon against me?"

Aasaa remained silent. He scanned the surroundings. Everyone else already fled, including the boy. One last group of people, about 40 of them, were running away. By occupying Genghis Khan, he bought them time.

Genghis Khan continued to rattle with threats and intimidation. Aasaa ignored him, finding his actions quite silly. He would not reply to his opponent, for he did not deserve such satisfaction. Instead, he just stared, looking down on him. This man who led an empire, who conquered and conquered. His grand reputation meant nothing if he would stoop so low as to hurt a child.

"You will bleed from every orifice!" The irate Rider charged at Aasaa, his horse's hooves cracked and melted the ground. He came at him with enough force to rival a speeding train.

Aasaa remained silent. He only raised his version of Genghis Khan's scimitar, and used his finger to call him forward, like how one would gesture at an animal.

"I will have you split limb from limb." Genghis Khan had an expression of stone. He went for the kill, and this time there would be no more chances.

Aasaa saw that in his eyes. He succeeded in making him truly angry. Genghis Khan surrendered to fury and lust for battle. His armour radiated hot malice as his scimitar glowed with activation. This attack would crush all in its way. All, except Aasaa, who raised his copied Projection of Genghis Khan's scimitar. He did not flinch, retreat not an option. Not even when his foe summoned all this power. Aasaa met him, blade to blade, man to man.

"Sole Ruler Of The Plains!" Genghis Khan said.

"Sole Ruler Of The Plains!" Aasaa said.

Aasaa's blast was weaker than Genghis Khan's. However, it protected him from most of the impact. The remaining bombshell of a blast from Genghis Khan's Noble Phantasm reverberated through him, as his Projection of the scimitar crumbled away. Genghis Khan uprooted Aasaa with the attack, punishing him for his bravery. This was the first time in centuries someone said no to him.

He fell to his feet, movements were shaky and sluggish. Every muscle ached, every bone hurt. His arms felt like jelly. As he closed his eyes, he saw a woman emerge from the last fleeing crowd. Her rose-coloured hair tossed as she ran. She sported a red uniform, over it, she wore a flowing black jacket. She wore a long skirt, black as well. He only wished he had the energy to figure out her identity before he closed his eyes in fatigue.

Florence Nightingale drew her pistol, 18th Century. With a gloved hand, she fired at Genghis Khan as she ran, her long braid of hair flying behind her. The shot went off-target, but it caught Genghis Khan's attention. She pulled out a grenade and blasted Genghis Khan, careful to not catch Aasaa in it.

Genghis Khan turned around. He recognized her as a Servant immediately, and grumbled at the interruption. He cursed his fortune. "Another one?"

Florence Nightingale reached out her hand to bless Aasaa with Angel's Cry, before unleashing a burst of healing magic with Nurse Of Steel.

Aasaa sprung awake. His blood thundered in his veins, wounds sealing shut. Rising from the ground, he could feel his pain and his exhaustion melting away.

_Is this magic? I feel stronger than before._

Florence Nightingale used grenades and her pistols, pelting Genghis Khan with attacks. He charged after her, running her over with his horse. She got up, dusted herself and continued to fight. Genghis Khan slashed at her, causing her chest to bleed. She waved her hand over the wound and sealed it. Healing wounds in a flash was already impressive, but she did it while pulling out a scalpel with her other hand and aiming for Genghis Khan's kneecap. The scalpel broke. She did not halt and stepped back before unleashing another burst of fire.

Genghis Khan roared after her, his horse preparing to charge. His advance ground to a halt when he caught a mouthful of gunpowder from a grenade, showers of fire searing his armour. Brushing aside soot and fumes, he made his way to Florence Nightingale who slipped just shy of his attack, and rewarded him with another gouge using her scalpel. Genghis Khan did not bleed. His attack finally connected, and smashed her into the ground, her body driving through the concrete, leaving a trail. More healing magic, and she stood back up, once again ready to fight. His brute force did nothing to her, as every time he hurt her, she healed and came back, more vigorous than before. Genghis Khan pulled out his recurve bow, ready to shoot her when a gloved hand began to clobber him with a grenade. He plucked it from her, disarming her of the grenade. She backed off and stifled a giggle when the grenade exploded in his hands.

_She's a Servant. There's no way a person could fight like that. Shiori did it. She summoned Florence Nightingale. _

True enough, Shiori made her way to the battlefield, panting. She managed to jostle her way through the crowd.

"Aasaa, we need to run! Caster can hold him off."

"Alright." He abandoned projecting more swords, and sprinted away from the airport with Shiori.

"You are not going to get them," Florence Nightingale said to a Genghis Khan who turned around to go after them. "I am your opponent," she said, lobbing another grenade at him.

"What are these weapons you use? It would revolutionize warfare," Genghis Khan said. "Join me and teach my blacksmiths."

"Never."

"Then you will die most painfully."

"I refuse. Nightingale Pledge."

A golden circle about a hundred meters in radius formed, centred on Florence Nightingale. A towering blue figure arose from her, holding a glowing sword, which it brought down on Genghis Khan. The sword dissipated on contact, doing no damage. However, it produced a profound impact nonetheless, as Genghis Khan found himself forced to lower his weapon. He could not lift his weapon. Furthermore, his horse could no longer charge. It became docile, moving at a snail's pace, its hooves clopping faintly.

"What did you do?" he asked.

"I'm putting a stop to your violence. No more lives will be maimed by your wicked hands."

"So, I cannot attack you while here?"

"I don't have to answer stupid questions."

"Very well, next time we meet, I will take great pleasure in crushing your skull."

Aasaa and Shiori were now some distance from the airport. They paused to catch their breath.

"Shiori, what is Florence Nightingale doing? How will she hold Genghis Khan off?"

"She is using her Noble Phantasm. It cancels violence."

Florence Nightingale remained at the airport to hold Genghis Khan there. In order to reunite Shiori with her Servant, Aasaa suggested she used a Command Spell to pull her to their location, leaving Genghis Khan behind.

"Yea, good idea," Shiori said.

She raised her hand. "Caster, I command you to my side." As she said it, one of her Command Seals faded away.

Florence Nightingale appeared before Shiori, her clothes ruffled from the battle, though no worse for wear. In fact, her face sported a faint smirk, pleased with the outcome of her first fight.

"Now," said Aasaa. "We need to lie low, and find the others."


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23: The Rising Tide **

**(Day 3 of the Helsinki Grail War)**

"Hou Yi, where are you?" Aasaa spoke through his connection with his Servant.

"Master, I am holding off a massive army of Vikings with Simo Häyhä. Although I think I'm actually holding off the army _for _Simo Häyhä."

Florence Nightingale carried Aasaa and Shiori from rooftop to rooftop.

"I'm coming," he told Hou Yi. "We have Caster on our side now."

"Excellent. Time to show off my skills to the newcomer."

"Aren't you the one who needs help?"

"I am holding off the army, which means I'm doing fine. It's Simo Häyhä who cannot keep up to my standards."

"Talk to me again when you are feeling humbler." Aasaa told Hou Yi through the connection. They approached his location as they spoke.

"Aasaa, that was thrilling, watching my own Servant fight," Shiori said. "It scared me at the start, until Genghis Khan caught a face full of explosives."

"I'm sure he enjoyed my little present," Florence Nightingale replied.

Aasaa smiled at Shiori. In the span of two days, she had gone from someone who feared for her life, to the one to challenge the most powerful Servant in the Grail War and live to tell the tale. A rush of accomplishment and satisfaction filled him.

They approached the site of Hou Yi and Simo Häyhä's battle. Glowing projectiles launched from a skyscraper, each one soaring through the sky. The golden arrows found their mark, creating explosions and sending enemies flying, their weapons and armour frayed and pierced. Aasaa could not help but grin.

_So that's why he was insufferably cocky. He was having the time of his life shooting them by the dozens._

Meanwhile, Simo Häyhä sustained wounds in multiple places. Red and pink hues stained his formerly white clothes. His parka was shredded by an armoury's worth of weapons, and drops of blood dripped to the ground as he moved. He heaved, completely worn out from the battle. His plight caused Florence Nightingale's face to wrinkle with anxiety as her eyes stayed trained on him. Aasaa could relate to it, understanding it as the zeal of someone who wanted to save another. Simo Häyhä tripped and several Viking warriors swarmed him. He emerged from the heap, with a gushing stab wound, filling Aasaa with even more urgency as he counted the seconds to their arrival.

Florence Nightingale stopped to let Aasaa and Shiori get off before entering the fray. Using her pistols and grenades, she opened with a flurry of attacks, causing a dozen of her enemies to fall dead. Simo Häyhä turned to the new combatant, recognizing her as a fellow soldier and saluted her. In his battered state, he still managed to spray a burst of fire at the enemy, his will to fight renewed by the arrival of reinforcements.

The two Servants fought in unison, sniper fire drilled through the Vikings' ranks while with haphazard but effective pistol fire and grenades blasted any who got too close. Florence Nightingale used the grenades to club the enemy at melee range, and then let the grenades detonate on her foes. Aasaa shrugged. Servants were as weird as they were awesome. With the threat under control, he pulled out his communicator to speak to Hannes.

"Florence Nightingale has been summoned. Your group can turn around now."

"Hey, how are things on your side, pretty boring day for us down here," Hannes sounding like he stifled a yawn.

Aasaa tried his hardest to mask his exasperation. They were fighting for their lives while Hannes and Misa were unharmed. He wanted to switch positions with them. Passion for heroics had its limits, and nearly dying caused him to reach it quickly.

"Yea, we are wrapping things up on our end. Simuna's wounded, but he's still fighting."

"I should get Misa to send Don Quixote over. She would not stop polishing her sword and the noise is killing me."

"No need. We have 3 Servants now."

"Alright. Yes Elias, we can turn around now," said Hannes through the communicator. Aasaa figured Elias was the driver. He remembered that Elias' brother, the other driver who drove the main truck, died by Genghis Khan's hand at the airport.

Florence Nightingale raised her hand and activated her Noble Phantasm. "Nightingale Pledge."

The remaining Viking warriors were well within the boundaries of the golden circle. A huge glowing figure brought a magical sword down on them. His attack did no damage, though when his attack dissipated, all violence ceased, and the enemies laid down their weapons.

Hou Yi jumped down from his position, and addressed Florence Nightingale. "Hou Yi, the best Servant at your service."

"What did you do?"

"I shot down several hundred of them." Hou Yi turned to the docile remnants of the Viking army caught in Florence Nightingale's Noble Phantasm. "Hmph, show off."

Florence Nightingale ignored Hou Yi's hubris, and turned to Simo Häyhä who wanted to thank her.

"Thank you. You are?" Simo Häyhä said.

"Florence Nightingale." She examined a gash on his arm, pouring healing magic into it.

"Ah, the Lady with the Lamp."

"A lamp is all I'm famous for?"

"Well, scenes of you holding a lamp and instilling hope to the wounded are the most popular portrayals of you. I assumed you would like to be known for it. Apologies." He bowed to her as his strength returned. His wounds scabbed over and fresh skin emerged thanks to her Nurse Of Steel.

"Never mind. I don't expect my later life of policy writing and campaigning to be remembered as fascinating anyway." Florence Nightingale closed the stab wound and gave him a blood transfusion.

"I feel so much better." Simo Häyhä's wounds were replaced with new flesh and skin. "Alright, we can go back now," he said, watching the Viking warriors begin to fade.

They returned to Aasaa and Shiori. Hou Yi followed them, retelling the fight but with only the parts he made significant contributions to.

Words failed Aasaa as the 3 Servants stood before him. Being surrounded by so many heroic figures on the battlefield made him giddy with awe. Fighting alongside them, and watching them summon their legendary abilities captivated him. There stood Hou Yi, from ancient China whose arrows hammered at his foes with no end in sight, Simo Häyhä, who defeated the Saber Servant and then held off an army. In between them stood Florence Nightingale, who saved his life and laughed in the face of Genghis Khan.

"Aasaa?" said Shiori.

"Oh, I, er, w-what is it?" he snapped out of his dreamy admiration.

"Sheesh, you look like someone who has just met his favourite band or something. Everyone is waiting for you to tell us what to do now." Shiori tapped her foot impatiently.

"It's the same expression you make when coffee's placed before you." Aasaa smiled at Shiori as he said it.

"It's not. Right?" Shiori tried to insist, bringing her hands to her face before laughing at Aasaa's teasing.

They returned home. Elias, the driver of the decoy truck broke down upon hearing the news of his brother's, the main truck driver's, death. He asked Hannes to let him resign, and he left soon after.

Genghis Khan returned to the Old Church, slamming the newly installed church door, built by his carpenters, as he entered. He took heavy, slow steps, his eyes holding raging tempests with them. Never had he been so aggravated by his foes.

His mood improved as he walked past groups of Mongolian cavalry and archers, who greeted him with reverence as he passed. The clanging of steel and churning of contraptions could be heard from below. The catacombs housed a war factory. Blacksmiths hammered away at forges, carpenters fashioned long, sturdy beams for trebuchets, tanners cured leather and hides, armourers assembled new sets of gear and herders tended to summoned horses.

Sircolia sat up on his throne when Genghis Khan approached. He had an air of intolerance about him. His base of operations smelled of animals and burning coal. His ears rang with constant clanging of steel. Mongolian warriors would sometimes gather in a large circle, start a small bonfire, and spend the night in revelry. They ate, drank and bonded. Noisily, much to his annoyance. He questioned his Servant's rationale for building the equipment out of generated raw materials when Item Creation could generate the finished products.

Genghis Khan glared at his Master's impatience. "The finished products are more expensive to create. I rather create the raw materials then process them."

"I have enough mana to spare. We are taking too long." Sircolia slammed his fist on the arm-rest of his throne.

Genghis Khan paid Sircolia's dissatisfaction little heed. "I like to be with my people again, by their side as they work. This is what it means to lead."

"I never knew you had such a soft spot for them."

"My enemies I would roast over a fire. My friends and family I would protect with my life. That's the way of the steppes. A harsh but close-knit existence." Genghis Khan turned away from Sircolia half-way through speaking and instead addressed one of the herders, checking on his progress and nodding with approval.

Bram Nuada-Re nestled in a pile of animal fur blankets, tended to by several Mongolian warriors. His Command Seals were all faded, since the lost Ragnar Lothbrok in the previous fight.

"He will live. Though he will never perform Magecraft again," Sircolia said.

"Is he not useless then?" Genghis Khan asked.

"No."

"Explain."

"Your Bloodless Victory consumes one of my Command Seals, correct?"

"Yes."

"This means you can only use it twice. Using it a third time means your pact with me is gone, and you need Mana, or you are done in half a day."

"So, you want Bram Nuada-Re to be my second Master after you exhaust your 3 Command Seals?"

"Correct. I will still provide the mana, not to worry."

"I will use Bloodless Victory to recruit these Servants. I am quite impressed them. They would make fine generals."

In the tunnel systems beneath Helsinki, Guy Fawkes approached Isilda, with information to report.

"Guy Fawkes. What did you see of the battle on the road to Helsinki Airport?"

"Not much. All I know is Saber is dead. Also, Assassin, Archer and now Caster are allied."

"We cannot take 3 of them. We could strike Sircolia since he is weakened."

"What of Lancer and her Master? They refused to join us in the tunnels. I came so close to causing an accidental cave-in that would coincidentally crush the two of them. I missed a chance to use my Guy Fawkes Night to gain her Abilities and stat parameters."

"We should work with them for now. If there is an alliance between Assassin, Archer and Caster we need their help."

"You speak the undeniable truth. Stage two begins tomorrow night. Are you ready for the rise of a new era?" Guy Fawkes clenched his fist, making a powerful pose to impress his Master.

"An era where you have good stats would be most welcome."

"Patience. Revolutions must be nurtured like a sapling. It will grow and root itself in the hearts of the masses." Guy Fawkes turned to a crowd of entranced rioters, equipped with torches and a variety of weapons. They stirred restlessly, raising their weapons and chanting. "I require Lancer's assistance for the next stage. We should meet them soon and discuss."

Isilda's blood-red eyes flickered with malice. "With Lancer's help, we will crush the other factions."


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24: Hidden Power **

**(Day 3 of the Helsinki Grail War) **

Shiori continued practising her fire orb. She had an early dinner, and the time was now 5pm. Under Aasaa's supervision, as she attempted to reach the 6-metre mark. Her range fluctuated somewhere between 4 and 5 metres.

"Sheesh, this is hard," she grumbled, exhausted. Once again, her clothes were drenched with sweat. Everyone vacated the lower level once Aasaa turned off the heater for her.

She fidgeted in her sweaty clothes, seeming worried if her filth would turn off Aasaa. He did not mind, and handed her the third towel, which she used to dry her matted locks of hair. Clouds of smoky mist emerged from his mouth as he spoke to words of encouragement. He buttoned his trench-coat and added more layers in order to survive the cold.

"Mind tossing me a fire orb to warm me up?" Aasaa asked.

"I'm so sorry you have to freeze yourself. I didn't want you to suffer." Shiori arranged her hair as she spoke, irritated that they kept clinging to her. She tried to uphold some semblance on presentability when speaking to him.

"It's fine, I can take it." Aasaa clenched his fist, gritting his chattering teeth.

Shiori cast her fire orb again. It travelled far and she relaxed, satisfied with the result. "Alright, I broke my record, time for a break."

"Take one, you've earned it. Coffee's in the fridge," Aasaa took out a piece of chalk and drew a line where Shiori's furthest travelling orb reached. 5.2 meters. Her spell's range progressed along nicely, though she needed more practice. Afterwards, he would start to teach her how to pour her built up heat into a target.

Aasaa monitored Shiori's body temperature. It skyrocketed at times. Today it reached 44 degrees Celsius. A normal person would have gotten heatstroke long by now. However, her unique method of circulating the heat in her Circuits protected her from this. Shiori drank her coffee in the kitchen. She liked to use a straw for chilled coffee.

Aasaa found her adorable, sitting there drinking through a green straw, each mouthful punctuated with several slow breaths, as her innocent eyes stared out of the window into the scenery outside. She seemed to be deep in thought.

"Shiori, is there anything bothering you?" Aasaa took a seat beside her.

"Nothing, just thinking about today and summoning Caster. She insisted I call her Florence." She said, halting her sip as the coffee flowed down the straw. A ring of condensation formed on the green straw.

"That's quick, Servants let you call them by their name when they feel a personal connection to you."

Shiori nodded. "I only hope I'm good enough to be her Master."

"You did magnificently today, you saved me and Simo Häyhä." He reflected on how he nearly died before being saved by Florence Nightingale.

"She saved you two, I didn't do much."

"Masters don't have to fight, if they get hurt, both Master and Servant could end up losing."

"But you fought Genghis Khan, why?"

"Because I could not sit by while he killed others."

Shiori pondered on Aasaa's words. Finishing her coffee, she said, "I want to practice pouring my heat into a target. I'm ready."

"Well, sure then." He offered Shiori his cup of coffee, which she gladly claimed. Aasaa smiled as she did, noticing how her sweating subsided. The chilled coffee cooled her.

He left early, while she drank, to set up several targets. Shiori joined him in the cleared-out basement when she finished resting. All flammable objects had been removed. Aasaa laid out several targets. The first was a pot of water, the target Shiori had the most experience heating since she originally used her spell to heat water for making coffee. The next target was a block of wood, followed by a piece of meat, and lastly, a concrete brick. He did not expect anything to happen to the last one as it could withstand enormous temperatures. "All set. Ready?"

"I guess. We'll find out soon." Shiori got into her stance and conjured an orb, from 4 meters away. Once it formed, she poured its heat into the pot of water first. As expected, it began to simmer. Aasaa felt her shoulder, her body temperature returned to normal. He theorized correctly, as this indicated that heat no longer circulated through her Circuits, instead being used to heat the fire. "Now try the block of wood."

"Alright." Shiori managed to set the wood on fire. She took longer with the meat, though it cooked within minutes. Aasaa praised her with each result. Smiling, Shiori acted out her casting pose aimed at Aasaa, using her mouth to make the sound of her fire orb. Aasaa pretended to be engulfed in flames.

Back to the training, Aasaa asked Shiori to go all out on the concrete. The concrete smoked but did not suffer further damage. Aasaa decided to help her out from behind, channelling some of his mana into her. Shiori's focused lips melted into a smile when Aasaa's hand reached her shoulder. The fire orb ballooned to the size of a beach ball, though the cement block did not melt.

Shiori gave up after several solid minutes of constant burning. Her hands fell limp. Aasaa felt her shoulder, startled by its unnatural coldness, as even magi should see an increase in body temperature.

"I tried to use the heat from my body to help me. It wasn't much but you told me to go all out," she admitted, unsure if she made a mistake.

Aasaa listened and noticed something special. "Wait. Repeat what you said?" What she described required extensive control, which should be impossible for a novice like her. "You drew out heat from yourself?"

"I can describe it more as using mana to pull my body heat, then pouring it into my target." Shiori shrugged. She pushed herself to the limits to heat the concrete.

"Okay, something occurred to me. Take a break, and I'll explain."

Shiori followed Aasaa to the living room, where he sketched a few diagrams on a writing pad and explained to her how he believed her Magecraft worked.

"You can turn mana into heat. We've established this already. However, you need mana to assist you in transferring the heat produced to your target."

"Uh huh, isn't that very bad, since I'm wasting more mana?"

"Normally, yes. However, you have been doing this unintentionally for so long that using mana to transport heat is second nature to you."

Shiori nodded, contemplating what he said.

"Now this is where it gets interesting. You can theoretically take heat from somewhere, as long as your mana is in contact with it, and transfer it elsewhere."

"I did it on my own body heat, and it was insignificant."

"What if you infused someone with your mana, and drew all their heat out? They would freeze to death." Aasaa thought hard, hypothesizing the ideal usages for Shiori's technique. He recalled what Hannes said, _it's__ not the arsenal you have but how you use it that counts, _and said, "What if you infused a furnace with your mana, and transferred it to your orb? This could be a terrifying weapon."

Shiori listened, eager to explore the potential of her Magecraft, though she worried if she should be using such lethal force. Aasaa promised to get to that later before concluding the session. She returned to her room, and found Florence Nightingale sitting at her desk, perusing one of her nursing textbooks while she waited for her.

"Shiori, this is wonderful. So much medical knowledge, all compiled and displayed in one book. With this no one should have an excuse for their ignorance." Florence Nightingale lit up upon her Master's return.

"Yea? Well I revise now and then to make sure I don't forget anything," Shiori took a seat beside her, trying to show her she took her profession seriously.

Florence Nightingale found Shiori's diligence to be commendable. "It is splendid how healthcare has changed from my time. At long last, people care about doing it right."

"I suppose that's the whole point of your pledge, right? I took it and swore by it when I graduated." She hoped to impress her.

"I'm honoured. So, tell me, why did you choose this profession?"

"When I first activated my Circuits to do basic Magecraft as a child, I saw my Origin. I saw myself helping up a wounded person. I could not make out his facial details. However, when I helped him up, I would look ahead, and see countless more waiting for aid. It is so haunting, and still makes me scared at times. Thus, I decided to help the wounded."

Florence Nightingale remained silent. She focused on Shiori's description of her Origin, mouthing it out, repeating it to herself.

"Florence, is anything-"

"No, it's just-" An explosion followed by a scream of terror flashed in Florence Nightingale's mind. She steadied herself. "It reminds me of my time in the Crimean War." She stared into the distance, the hellish memories drove her to silence.

Sitting beside her, Shiori asked, "Florence, you are here because you want to continue saving lives?"

"Indeed. I have seen the devastation caused by Genghis Khan today. He must be stopped. The damage he causes, the people he hurts, someone must be there to minimize it. And I-"

"Will do it, for as long as it takes." Shiori completed, as the two of them smiled. They continued to talk, growing closer as Master and Servant. Shiori wanted to get as close to her as possible, as Aasaa told her the importance of Servants and Masters cooperating.

Aasaa determined from the news that riots near their route damaged the wards leading to Genghis Khan and Ragnar Lothbrok's attack. He sent Hou Yi on an independent mission to gather more information on the riots, with instructions for him to be back by 8pm if he could not find anything. Skulking near the site of the riot in spirit form, Hou Yi spied on Fezgrem, Isilda and their Servants speaking on a rooftop.

"You wish to launch an attack to draw Sircolia out?" asked Fezgrem.

"Correct. We assault his damn church. His team is down a Servant. Saber is defeated," said Isilda.

"I see. When will this occur?"

"In a few days. Tomorrow night, Guy Fawkes will launch an attack to gain more power and followers in preparation. I expect you to join us."

"Your Servant is cruel and insane. I strongly disagree with his methods," Gordafarid slammed her lance down, chipping the ground to make a point. "His actions pollute the very meaning of being a Heroic Spirit. The riot yesterday was deplorable."

"Fezgrem? Does your Servant speak for you?"

"No. If working with you improves my chances of winning, I am all for it."

"Oh yes, speaking of which, we will be enemies eventually," Isilda's blood-red eyes widened.

"Correct, but better one of us win than the others, yes?"

"Of course. For now, we have an alliance."

Hou Yi stepped away, intending to return to his Master when the floor he was standing on gave way. The building collapsed, and he descended into a cloud of fire and rubble.


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25: When Anarchy Rises... **

**(Day 3 of the Helsinki Grail War) **

A flash of pain wracked Aasaa's mind, followed by thoughts of impending doom. Something bad happened to Hou Yi. Rising from his seat in the living room, he called the other Masters. They set off at once, Aasaa explaining to them along the way. With 3 Servants but 4 Masters, Don Quixote offered to carry both Aasaa and Misa.

Hou Yi awakened to find himself restrained by a network of magical wires, tied to a pole above a pile of wooden furniture. He groaned as his burn wounds radiated with pain. Around him, rioters poured petrol and gunpowder over the furniture. Realizing the fiery threat, he tried to break free, struggling to no avail.

"Behold my Guy Fawkes Night! When he burns, I will gain his power." A man with a cruel grin partially obscured by his flowing rust-coloured moustache and beard proclaimed before a crowd of applauding riots. He looked at his brass pocket-watch. 9pm. "1 more hour to the cleansing flame."

"Very impressive. Did he seriously think we did not notice?" Isilda smirked, her arms folded. She gave Hou Yi one last demeaning stare.

"A fool is quickly parted with his life," Fezgrem said. "I will go and delay the enemy. They must be searching for their dear Archer." He left with Gordafarid, who glared at Guy Fawkes, for his craven methods marred what it meant to be a heroic spirit.

The pyre stood at the heart of a large road junction with rioters guarding every entrance. The surrounding buildings were plunged flames as choking ash-laden smoke emerged from them, like dark ephemeral flags as they diffused into the air. Wreckage and the fallen littered the ground. The scent of blood and ash saturated the air as desperate cries for help echoed in the distance.

Aasaa and the others chased across Helsinki aimlessly. They were on the opposite side of the city, and Guy Fawkes' grim display could not be seen from their position. Tormented by worry, Aasaa urged the others to quicken their pace, despite already being transported by their Servants.

"Halt," Hannes reached for his pistol. "Someone is watching us." He sensed someone enter concealment.

"Not bad Hannes," a voice said.

Aasaa turned in the direction of the voice, and saw Fezgrem walking up to them. Gordafarid trailed behind, ready to spring to his defence. He bowed before them, introducing himself and his Servant. "I have come to forge an alliance. Isilda is an unworthy ally, and I have decided to help you defeat her. Your Servant will be saved. Afterwards, we can sort out the terms of our alliance."

"How can we possibly trust you?" Hannes placed his finger over the trigger.

"If you decline, I will retreat, and your Servant dies, what would you do?" Fezgrem said, laying out the facts for him.

"Fezgrem, you want to stop Sircolia right? Thus, you need allies," Misa asked.

"Yes, you ought to be familiar with my disdain for him." Fezgrem turned to his colleague. His expression told nothing.

"Guys, I know him. He wants Sircolia dead as much as us. I think we can trust him." Misa said, eager to prove that her information on Sircolia's plans came in handy, as she gestured to her allies to listen to her.

"Not a chance, though I trust you now, you are still quite naive." Hannes remained unconvinced, his pistol now raised. Simo Häyhä followed his Master, his Pystykorva now activated, emitting a faint white light with its mana disrupting shots ready to fire.

"Hannes, Hou Yi will die if we don't follow him." Aasaa placed his hand over Hannes's pistol and put himself between Hannes and Fezgrem

"So, I take you accept?"

"To save a life, Yes." Aasaa reached out to shake Fezgrem's hand.

"To save a life." Fezgrem reaffirmed. "Aasaa, your nobleness is not found in many magi." Turning to the others, he agreed on a truce until they rescued Hou Yi.

Aasaa nodded. He did not fully trust Fezgrem, but he would be damned if he let his Servant die so early. What would he do without a Servant, as the Grail War heated up? He did not come to Helsinki to finish second last. He found a liking for Fezgrem, who had just commended him for his values.

Shiori remained silent in all this, as she did not have experience in dealing with magi negotiations. She followed Aasaa's choice. Misa too. Hannes refused Fezgrem's aid. He kept his eyes trained on him as he lowered his gun.

Travelling beside Aasaa, Hannes waited for some distance to be created between them and Fezgrem before speaking. "Aasaa, this is a big mistake. Keep your guard up, we will hit him the moment Hou Yi is saved."

"Hannes, you are terribly wrong about Sircolia's magi. Like Misa, Fezgrem must have been dragged into this, and got betrayed." Aasaa glared with frustration at Hannes now, his behaviour ruined their chances of getting alliances.

"He wants you to think he's on your side." Hannes glared at Fezgrem, noting he was exceptional at negotiating.

"I believe he is a good man who has ended up on the wrong side. As a hero, I need to give him the chance to make things right."

"That's a dangerous way to think. You need to slow down and watch him." Hannes sighed after he finished speaking, glancing to ensure Fezgrem did not eavesdrop.

"Like how you tormented Misa with the device for a day? No." Aasaa glared at him, ready to stand his ground. He could not believe Hannes' paranoia. Sircolia and his rotten Servant, Genghis Khan, who would torture and kill a child, were the only enemies. Fezgrem was just another victim of their vile schemes.

"All I'm saying is you need to be cautious, and less hasty." Hannes sounded defeated by Aasaa's stubbornness.

"If something bad happens to me, you can say "I told you so." "

"When something bad happens to you, I don't want to be the one to say that."

They arrived at Guy Fawkes' new scene of hell, the only fitting description for what the did to the area. A crowd waited for them, carrying weapons, bombs, and torches. Don Quixote charged, ready to cleave them.

"Wait, Don! I think they are entranced. I can detect the mana of a Servant on them." Misa stretched her hand out to grab her Servant, who already sprinted ahead, sword ready to cleave and hew.

"Mental Interference," Aasaa and Fezgrem concluded in unison. He smiled at his new ally, who nodded, silently praising him in return.

Don Quixote remained unconvinced. She brought her blade to bear on the rioters.

"Don Quixote, I command you to not kill them, only disable."

Don Quixote's dominant arm became encased in a red light, restricting her. She only made a moderately powerful attack that knocked down a few of the rioters. They fell to the ground, dazed but alive.

"A Command Seal is very valuable," Fezgrem said "You are either noble or foolish."

Gordafarid glared at Fezgrem. "Saving lives is never foolish."

The intoxicating smell of gunpowder filled the air, as a swirling mass of hazy smoke formed before disappearing to reveal Guy Fawkes. Preaching from a raised platform, he rained slander upon his foes before declaring, "the bells have tolled, the hour of reckoning is at hand. You stand before the currents of change. Struggle as you might, we will wash you away!" He saw Fezgrem among them. The bombshell of a betrayal gave him pause. With a raised fist and voice trembling with rage, he shouted, "Cursed traitor. 4 Servants against me? This is a most vile, vexing, venomous, vindictive, villainous victimization."

"Does he always talk like this?" Shiori turned to Aasaa, disturbed by his dramatic taunts and threats.

"Guy Fawkes has numerous modern representations. People associate him with anarchy and revolt. His personality and abilities are influenced by all this," Fezgrem explained to his allies who did not know. His help so far only cemented him as a viable and useful ally in Aasaa's books.

Several bottles of incendiary liquids shattered mere paces from them. A wall of fire threatened to encircle Shiori. She closed her eyes and infused the fire with her mana, creating a fire orb at Guy Fawkes' location as she muttered her incantation. "Ich zünde, wie ich will."

She transferred the heat of the fire into her orb, extinguishing the fire before her. The siphoned heat now poured from her orb, forcing Guy Fawkes to duck away to avoid the burning rush of heat.

Aasaa's stretched out his hand to rescue her. Shiori emerged from the fire unharmed, she transferred the heat away. He gaped in awe as she successfully pulled off heat transferral, a feat that he only hypothesized before.

Creating a wall of bricks to cover Shiori, Fezgrem said, "The Guy Fawkes you see is an amalgamation of numerous related characters, both real and fictional." Guy Fawkes shot at the wall with his flintlock pistol, forcing Fezgrem to back away.

"Florence, use your pledge on this crowd, and we can by-pass them." Shiori took a step back as they advanced, chanting and rattling their weapons. One of the rioters scraped his cleaver across the ground, creating a flash of sparks, and another flashed a knife across his neck, threatening to behead them. His unfocused eyes were bloodshot, pupils within shrunken and darting around frantically, glowing with a faint red light.

"Yes Shiori. Nightingale Pledge."

The entire crowd let out a bone-rattling roar as they brandished their weapons and charged after Florence Nightingale. She remained undaunted by the maddened horde, as a massive blue humanoid emerged from behind her, and brought his sword down on them. Her Noble Phantasm activated, causing them to lay down their weapons and snap out of their trance.

Don Quixote and Misa blitzed Guy Fawkes with a dash towards him and a downward cut that tore a hole in his raised platform. Guy Fawkes leaped out of the way as splinters and shards flew in the air. Meanwhile, Fezgrem beckoned Aasaa to follow him to find Hou Yi, with Gordafarid offering to bring them both there. Hannes followed, ordering Simo Häyhä to keep his gun trained on Fezgrem.

"Burn to ash in the fires of our rebellion," Guy Fawkes taunted. He picked up a bottle of liquid and threw it at them. It set fire to the ground when it landed.

"You will be the one to burn today," Misa said, as Don Quixote ran through the fire and smashed the ground where Guy Fawkes stood. He raised his flintlock pistol, and aimed it at Misa. She countered with a blinding flash of light, causing him to miss. Don Quixote followed with a brutal strike with her blade, and then a kick for a good measure. Guy Fawkes' low parameters were showing, as he made a pathetic effort to retaliate. Don Quixote ripped and smashed at anything caught in her way as she doggedly chased him, each strike filled with righteous hate. The ground reverberated from her thunderous blows, sparks spraying as the sword banged and crashed. Guy Fawkes succumbed to the overwhelming onslaught, his foes succeeded in disarming him several times now, and suffered several crippling wounds. Blood stained his clothes and several of his bones were shattered. He heaved as Don Quixote bore down on him. Seeing a window to escape, he disappeared through the ground, and Don Quixote's sword struck air.

He emerged beside Hou Yi's pyre. Muttering curses incoherently, his bloodied lips and chattering teeth dripping spittle, he grabbed a torch from one of his rioters and set it ablaze. The fire spread like a disease, swarming over the wood pile with a ravening hunger. It reached Hou Yi's feet. Guy Fawkes' scattered senses barely took in his surroundings when Aasaa, Fezgrem and Gordafarid appeared before him. Aasaa used a freezing gemstone to delay the fire's spread while Gordafarid threw her lance at Hou Yi's bonds, severing them, and allowing him to escape. Isilda ran through a tunnel, as Aasaa and his allies closed in on all fronts.

Guy Fawkes grabbed a dagger and a torch and attempted to fight Gordafarid off. She responded by using her scimitar to parry him, before landing a solid punch on his chest. Her foe fumbled, opening a gap in his defence which allowed her to slash his leg, causing him to drop the torch. Cursing his luck, he made a dash for the tunnel.

"Ever-Approaching Downfall," Gordafarid said, as her lance hummed with the activation of her Noble Phantasm.

The lance picked itself up and threw itself after Guy Fawkes. He tried to dodge, only for it to correct its direction and continue chasing him. It was faster than him, and dug itself in his back, coming out from the other side with a geyser of blood. Guy Fawkes slumped over and fell to the ground, mere meters from his escape tunnel.

_That's it. We won. Another Servant down. _Aasaa's battle-stressed mind could only think in short bursts as he waited for Guy Fawkes to fade into mana. He did not.

One of the rioters began to convulse. She mutated into Guy Fawkes, changing in size and appearance. Soon, Guy Fawkes stood once more, before his foes.

"Fear not the man. Fear the idea, for ideas are bulletproof. The man may die. But a hundred years later, an idea can still change the world!" Guy Fawkes declared, arms outstretched as he made his speech. Several rioters joined him in fanatical cheer.

"What on earth is happening," Aasaa clenched his fists as he trembled before the horrifying transformation and subsequent resurrection of his foe. Whatever Guy Fawkes did, it shook him to his core. Something told him after the transformation, that woman was not coming back. This Servant was merciless and depraved. Attempting to sentence Hou Yi to a fiery grave and using innocent people for his cause was unforgivable. Now he showed the ability to rise from the dead. His crazed ramblings were the icing on the cake.

_Just what are we fighting? _

"It seems to be a reincarnation ability of some sort," Fezgrem said.

Guy Fawkes raised his arms into the air, body restored as he stood above his foes and followers. Smoke and fire burned behind him, as buildings collapsed from the cacophonous roar of gunpowder bombs. Aasaa stared into the eyes of this mad man, his black eyes held nothing but endless hunger for a goal without reason or humanity. Looking into the maw of chaos, a wave of terror washed over him, as fear and panic spiked.

Guy Fawkes acted as if presenting to his audience the grand finale. The floor cracked and heaved with the detonation of bombs under it. It spread from his location, a shock wave of fire as more explosions radiated towards Aasaa and Fezgrem.

Now free, Hou Yi leaped at them, and pushed the both off the road. They avoided the blast-wave, heaving a sigh of relief. Guy Fawkes turned to them, and snapped his fingers. "No one can escape the inevitable collapse."

The building beside Aasaa and Fezgrem exploded, rubble and fire pouring over them. Aasaa countered the fire with a freezing gemstone, while Fezgrem raised his hands and controlled the rubble launched towards them. Hou Yi praised them for their response, thanking them from sparing him the trouble of moving them again.

"I can control rocks and similar materials. It is my Earth Conjuration," Fezgrem sent the rubble fragments flying towards Guy Fawkes, as Gordafarid chased with her lance.

Guy Fawkes allowed himself to get killed. Soon after, another rioter adopted his form. Once again, he reappeared before his foes. This time, he fled through the tunnels, declaring them blind to the truth of existence.

"Aasaa, I have to go now. If you wish to speak to me, activate this amulet. I have a similar one. I will come to you," Fezgrem said.

"Alright, but why are you leaving us? We have space for you at our base."

"Sorry, I can't explain. We should regroup, and crush Guy Fawkes the next time he emerges. Then, it's time to wipe out Sircolia." Fezgrem and his Servant vanished as if being pursued by a vicious foe.

"You know why he fled?" said Hannes from one storey above. Simo Häyhä stood behind him in firing position. "I almost shoot him. The smart bastard positioned himself behind you while giving you the amulet."

"We were so close to gaining another ally. You're overthinking this Hannes," Aasaa glowered at his partner. His distrust for others got on his nerves. Aasaa made it a point to change Hannes' mindset for the better moving forward.


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26: ... The House Divides **

**(Day 3 of the Helsinki Grail War)**

Back from the battle, Aasaa and Hannes went upstairs while Shiori and Misa sat on the sofa, and ready to watch a movie, as promised last night. They enjoyed a good supply of white chocolate and coffee.

Upstairs, Hou Yi said to Aasaa. "Thank you for saving me. Though I have to report a few things."

"Right, what is it?"

"Fezgrem and Isilda were speaking shortly before Guy Fawkes ambushed me. They were speaking of launching a coordinated attack on Genghis Khan. They planned to do something tomorrow night, however, when they caught me, I suppose they brought their plans forward."

"Fezgrem is in a truce with us." Aasaa pointed to his amulet.

"He might be colluding with Isilda, and him betraying her could be planned."

"I doubt it. They lost a lot tonight. Fezgrem is earnest about joining us." Aasaa gripped the amulet as he spoke.

"Careful Master. Those who betray once will betray again."

"I am certain he is trustworthy. How can you doubt someone who saved you?"

"Master, please listen. You are getting arrogant in this Grail War." Hou Yi no longer folded his arms or maintained his smug pose.

Aasaa had not expected anyone to call him arrogant. Least of all from his Servant, whose hubris had become as well-known as his legend. He could accept being called idealistic, but not arrogant.

"Hou Yi, I know what I'm doing. The fate of many depends on-"

"Aasaa," Hannes said as he entered the conversation. "Even if you truly deem Fezgrem trustworthy. You must concede that caution against possible betrayal is a good idea."

"How can we see eye to eye if we keep our walls up? Fezgrem is transparent, and we should be too."

"Don't listen to me for yourself. Listen to me for the two of them downstairs. They are young and have promising futures ahead of them." Hannes looked down the staircase, to the faint giggle of Shiori and Misa as they enjoyed their movie. They sounded so innocent, and happy from up here.

"What are you saying?" Aasaa asked.

"A slip of your judgement could cost them as well. I saw your joy today as you trained Shiori. You care about her, and she looks up to you as her friend and mentor," Hannes continued, his words smarting with pain as he spoke.

"Listen to us, I am an ancient hero, and he is 63. We have the wisdom to know where danger lurks and this is it," Hou Yi said.

Aasaa bottled his anger. _How could my own Servant join Hannes in telling me this? _

He possessed the ability to judge people, and he sure of Fezgrem's loyalty. He worked tirelessly, training Shiori up, fighting Genghis Khan, braving tribulations at every turn. He wanted the others to recognize his contributions at least for a moment, to believe in him. Instead, people doubted him, warned him. He could not be a hero if the others stifled him. Nevertheless, he decided to remain respectful, and in the interests of team-unity, he agreed with them, and made an effort to guard himself.

"Alright, I understand. Hou Yi, you are henceforth in charge of ensuring no harm befalls me during meetings with Fezgrem. Hannes, you can send Simuna to help if you deem necessary."

Hannes and Hou Yi were satisfied by this, and concluded their conversation. Hou Yi left to watch the house, while Hannes continued to work at his desk. Aasaa decided to take a bath.

"Misa, do you think Aasaa is okay?" Shiori asked while they were watching the movie. She overheard parts of their conversation.

"Wait, let me finish this scene," Misa replied.

"Fine, but we need to pause soon."

"Ugh, I was starting to fall in love with your technology. Why would magi not want to use this device?"

Shiori did not answer that question, Aasaa's interaction with Hannes weighed on her mind.

"Okay, what?" Misa asked.

"Aasaa trusts Fezgrem. But Hannes does not. What should we do?" Shiori no longer paid attention to the show, and instead looked right at Misa who positioned her head somewhere in between the facing television and facing her.

"All I know is Fezgrem hates Sircolia, and he wants to win pretty badly."

"What is his wish?" Shiori brought her head closer to her friend, trying to get an answer from her lukewarm attention.

"No clue."

"What is he like? Is he a trustworthy person?" Shiori tapped Misa of the shoulder.

"No clue."

"Come on, are you even trying?" Shiori turned off the television, and crossed her arms, her lips pouted at Misa who now looked as if someone had stolen her life's savings.

"He literally only sits at the corner of meetings sulking and pointing out Sircolia's mistakes or voicing why Sircolia is not trustworthy. Honestly he is not someone you'd even want to be in the same building as." Misa caved in to Shiori, now deprived of her entertainment.

"He seemed quite nice to Aasaa just now." Shiori wondered aloud, her hand waving the remote control causing it to lightly tap against herself as she thought.

"Which is odd. He never smiles." Misa completed.

"He is plotting something. We have to warn Aasaa." Shiori got up from her seat and ran up, controller in her hand.

"Wait, give me the control. No, come back. Err, actually I don't even know how to use that thing. Whatever, I guess I'll follow," Misa said. She followed Shiori, but did not participate in the conversation, instead listening from halfway up the stairs.

Shiori found Aasaa upstairs and raised her concerns. "Misa realized that Fezgrem acted differently than when she worked with him. I think he's hiding something."

Aasaa sighed, stemming his impatience. "I'm sure he's just trying to be kind because he really values our alliance. He knows Genghis Khan and Sircolia are out there, which means he won't turn on us."

"Alright what you said makes sense. Just be careful, okay?" Shiori held Aasaa's hand.

"Yea. Anything for y-" Aasaa bent to look at her face.

"What?" Shiori asked.

"Anything to make sure we win," Aasaa corrected his statement, abruptly straightening his pose.

Shiori returned downstairs, wishing Aasaa a good night.

Aasaa considered bathing, when Hou Yi reappeared and whispered something to him. The two of them left from the window to buy groceries.

Shiori and Misa resumed their movie downstairs. They discussed, they laughed, they huddled together in anticipation of the final battle. Unfortunately, they ran out of essential movie-viewing supplies. Shiori clicked her feet together as she got up to get more when Aasaa arrived. He brought a takeaway cup of her favourite coffee. He also carried more snacks and drinks from the convenience store.

"Where did you-"

"Can't live without coffee huh? Well, even mentors have to enjoy a little. Mind if I join you?" Aasaa handed Misa some chocolate and put down the items.

"Sure, come join us," Misa invited. For her, chocolate could buy just about anything.

Shiori already made space for Aasaa before he even asked. He sat down with them and had a great time, watching the show as his hand rested behind the sofa. The room's lights were off and the light from the television lit up their intense faces as their eyes fixated on the action unfolding before them. His viewing went perfectly until Hou Yi whispered to him via their mental connection.

"Go get the girl, don't mess this up," he teased.

"No Hou Yi. Nothing of that sort. Can you not?"

"You know, I'm something of a romantic myself."

"Not listening to your nonsense anymore, I'm done with you for today."

"Heh. Thank me later."

Aasaa did not respond to him, and focused on enjoying a movie with them. He came just in time for the second movie, where some heroes had to take revenge on a large purple antagonist or something. He found it engaging enough to keep his mind off the Grail War for a few hours, a much-needed break.

As with all good things, the movie came to an end, and reality returned to him. The good ending of the film did not bring the satisfaction he expected, as he remembered how they were no closer to stopping either Guy Fawkes or Genghis Khan. His mind wandered back to the questions Hannes and Hou Yi raised to him, forming concerns that started as occasional afterthoughts and whispers, before growing in frequency and loudness, reigniting his worries. He found himself unable to join Shiori and Misa in their post-movie discussion. Unlike him, they were not cursed with knowledge of the deteriorating situation.

The encounter with Guy Fawkes shook him to his core, rattling him with a sense of helplessness and injustice. That Servant killed and destroyed innocents, not only because of cruelty, but because his survival depended on it. It reminded him of some vicious animal, chaos and fear made manifest. He could not forget how he mutated those he controlled into new bodies for himself. Their flesh and bone contorted, shifting and melting before being remoulded. Then there were bombs, their wanton destruction killed indiscriminately, sometimes catching the mind-controlled rioters. Hundreds of innocents already fell victim to his destruction, and many more would follow. He could not bring himself to tell the two of them, as they sat beside him enjoying the show. Their ignorance was bliss, and they could not know.

Nowadays, entertainment functioned merely as band aids for his worries. The fears always came back. _Was this how Mom and Dad felt, during their Grail War? Trying to live life while fighting against insurmountable odds._

He went upstairs for another sleepless night, taking one last distance look at the two of them.

"We will be ready soon Master," Genghis Khan said.

"Fine." Sircolia mumbled, barely awake as he reclined on the throne.

"We have located Fezgrem and Lancer camping 4 kilometres from here. We know his hideout. When he is unaware, we crush him." Genghis Khan brought his scimitar down and stabbed the map to mark Fezgrem's location. A Mongolian warrior let out a pained expression as he had spent a long time on making the map, though he hid it from Genghis Khan.

"You will use your Bloodless Victory liberally. I want Lancer." Sircolia stared at his Command Seals, prepared to gain another Servant.

"This means we bring Bram Nuada-Re, correct?"

"Yes. After 3 uses of Bloodless Victory, my pact with you will end. You will forge a new pact with him, while I remain your Master indirectly as I provide the mana."

"Agreed. This is a very ingenious exploit," Genghis Khan said. "I am very pleased with your schemes. You would have made a fine general."

Sircolia took it as a compliment, before returning to his seat of power. Above his throne was now engraved '_Death To All Who Oppose Sircolia'. _Resting on it, he shuffled to find a comfortable position. He could not relate to Genghis Khan's asceticism, who insisted leaders should not sit comfortably when he asked him for a cushion for the throne.

He unfurled his father's letter and read it one more time. "Soon, I will remake this world. Father, I will achieve your dreams. I will fulfil my duty as a son," he whispered to himself. It gave him a rush of determination to say it. He was cautious to not let Genghis Khan hear it. Remaking the world would cause Genghis Khan's wish for world domination to become null. Genghis Khan would surely betray him if they knew the truth.

Behind him, Mongolian generals Subutai and Jebe read the contents of the letter, and overheard him. They whispered among themselves and left.

Sircolia walked down into the catacombs, and observed the HelsinkiGrail. It had only begun to open, as only Ragnar Lothbrok's mana was collected. He needed the mana of 6 more Servants to remake the world.


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27: Like Chaff Before The Wind **

**(Day 4 of the 6th Grail War) **

Aasaa awoke on the morning of the 4th Day to a message from his parents. The Clocktower decided to take action against Sircolia by sending a disciplinary force of 78 elite magi to Helsinki.

After reading the message, Aasaa contacted Rin to find out more, and received a warning against getting involved in the Clocktower's activities. She also informed Aasaa of Eijiro and Kaisu's successful evacuation, before Aasaa shared with her the news that he formed an alliance with Fezgrem Vor Sembren, one of Sircolia's former allies.

Rin paused upon hearing Fezgrem's family name. "Vor Sembren? His father taught as an instructor here."

"He did?"

"Until his career fell apart due to betrayal and sabotage by rivals. Disgraced, he left in self-exile and died soon after. Fezgrem remained at the Clocktower to continue training."

"I see. That's how Sircolia must have met him. I can see a trend now. He recruits magi who have reasons to be unhappy with their life in the Clocktower." Aasaa thought of Misa, before wondering if he could continue to judge Sircolia's other followers. He found himself pitying them now.

"Our investigations revealed the same thing. It makes sense, as these are the type of magi who would want something from the Greater Grail."

Aasaa clenched his fist. He paced around the room, aching with intent to strike Sircolia down. Sircolia preyed upon their desires to fix their lives to make them follow his wicked schemes. Aasaa found it despicable, to make use of the weak. It sickened him, as he struggled to prevent himself from cursing out loud.

They finished up their conversation shortly after. Aasaa could not get the news about the disciplinary force out of his mind. They were walking straight into a trap. Elite magi were still no match for a Servant of Genghis Khan's power. He was preparing his equipment when Shiori wished him good morning. Noticing he planned to go somewhere, she asked further.

"I have to stop magi from walking into a trap. Just go upstairs and don't tell anyone." Aasaa smiled at her, confident she would keep his actions a secret.

Shiori remained where she stood. Aasaa continued, "If you're here to stop me, don't. I have to save them."

"I want to come. I have Florence now." She tried to show her readiness with an upright battle-ready pose. It needed work though.

"It's too dangerous. Just stay here and I'll be back. Maybe I can make more allies." Aasaa sprinted off, looking back at Shiori one more time.

"Hou Yi, bring me to Helsinki Old Church."

"Yes Master."

Magi gathered around the Old Church, prepared to strike, as the commander issued the final instructions. He stopped halfway, interrupted by Aasaa's arrival. Hou Yi stood by his side, though in spirit form.

"Wait, you all need to turn back. Sircolia has a Servant." Aasaa arrived before them, panting.

"We know, and we are equipped to take him on. Who are you anyway?" the commander asked. He stared at his red trench-coat, trying to recognize him.

"I am Aasaa, son of Shirou Emiya and Rin Tohsaka," Aasaa revealed.

"For standing in our way, we would normally punish you. However, I don't want any trouble from the higher ups for attacking a Tohsaka. Move aside, I won't say again."

"Please, he is too powerful. You must flee." Aasaa pointed at the church, which gave off an ominous aura. The commander pushed him aside, as if he did not hear him.

"You have to put aside your orders and hubris and listen." For his insistence, he was encased in a forcefield, and lifted to a rooftop several blocks away. Hou Yi appeared before him.

"Whatever, we gave them fair warning. For their disrespect to you, I wouldn't mind seeing a few of them fall." Hou Yi folded his arms, awaiting Aasaa's reply.

"We can't have that mentality," Aasaa rested his hands on the railing on the rooftop, staring at the magi. He fought the desire to yell at them to retreat.

"Stand up for yourself once in a while. You don't owe everyone a living." His Servant shook his head, finding Aasaa's selflessness both admirable and frustrating. Such people were rare, as they often self-destructed.

"I guess you're right, but good people cannot let others get hurt," Aasaa insisted.

The commander gave the order to attack, overcoming the Bounded Field, and the church came under attack. Mongolian warriors rushed out of the door to meet them. Many of them were blasted down as they exited the church, a testament to the power of the magi in the disciplinary force. Due to continued attacks, the walls of the church became littered with holes, carved by potent magic projectiles, and the church's interior caught fire. The magi advanced, certain they already cleared it of enemies. 10 of the magi went up to the door of the church, reaching to open it, when Genghis Khanrushed through the door.

A roaring fire in his background, Genghis Khan's features were obscured by the light behind him. He stood before his foes as a silhouette, mounted on his horse, and scimitar raised, gleaming ravenously with the light from the flames behind him.

"A Servant! Keep him occupied and find the Master," ordered one of the magi.

Genghis Khan charged at him as a barrage of spells slammed into his armour, each one bouncing off and fizzling as they touched. He brought his scimitar down on the magi, killing them with cruel blow. He repaid their feeble attacks with his Sole Ruler Of The Plains, crushing bone and sinew wherever it found its mark. The 10 at the entrance lay dead at his feet, their blood flowing down the steps of the church entrance. Genghis Khan roared with fury, as his mana heated his armour, causing smoke to rise from the chinks. He advanced to meet more of his foes. Each strike killed and maimed, the ground itself quaking and cracking with power. Two magi fell before him, their heads rolling. His horse contributed as well, arching forward and clubbing magi with its red-hot hooves.

The other magi backed off, cautious of their invulnerable foe. The pooled their mana together, and created a colossal forcefield to contain Genghis Khan. It covered the entire stretch of road. The magi reinforced it to ensure it could withstand any attack, and it swelled to several metres thick, glowing with defensive enchantments. Behind this defence, they were already preparing a devastating spell to crush Genghis Khan. 5 magi, each conjuring one of the elements, channelled their Magecraft into a swirling tempest of energy radiating golden light. Their spell held the power to annihilate a small army, and they condensed it, preparing to focus only on one target. Despite preparing what could be regarded as a perfect defence and offence, Genghis Khan began to laugh at them. He found it pathetic.

"Flail Of God! This is god's punishment, a fitting sentence to all who sin. I am the judge, jury and executioner. This is my purpose and my divine right."

Aasaa heard the activation. Simo Häyhä had informed him of this Noble Phantasm. A golden flail materialized in Genghis Khan's hands. Unspeakable power came surging from the flail, condensing into a single point to pierce the forcefield. Aasaa felt the mana drawn to the Noble Phantasm, the air now desiccated of mana. Whatever Genghis Khan planned to do with the flail, Aasaa expected him to tear the forcefield like paper. He took cover as Genghis Khan readied his attack.

_Such power gathering within, it has to be EX rank._

He battered the forcefield. Golden cracks spread across the forcefield and nothing the magi did to reinforce or recast it worked. The mana that went into the forcefield simply stopped existing, plucked out from reality with a touch from the flail. It broke soon after, leaving not a shard left to hinder Genghis Khan. Laughing as he advanced, the magi cried in terror as he rendered the effort of over fifty magi useless. In desperation, they fired the incomplete spell they were working on as a unit at him. Genghis Khan absorbed the blast with his Man Of Iron. Hopelessly outmatched, they attempted to flee, as he continued to butcher all within his reach.

"You will all die. Why else would God send you to me?" Genghis Khan's scimitar slashed and ripped at his foes, blood and bodies spraying across the floor. He struck with the force of a train as he charged and rammed into another magus, his armour glowing red with heat as he did. The magus suffered a dozen fractures and his flesh smashed to mush. "I am the supreme judgement, sent to punish you for your crimes."

Out rushed Genghis Khan's generals, Muqali, Jebe and Subutai. Each one engaged several magi at once and emerged victorious.

Several magi created a massive wave of ice to crush and freeze Genghis Khan. It slowed his advance. More magi tried to curse him, and blast him. One even used necromancy to pour corrosive blood on him. A torrent of attacks rained upon him. The convergence of nearly every school of magic. Genghis Khan's Man Of Iron held. An explosion hit his face, achieving nothing besides proving his invulnerability.

"Dragon Of The Golden Horde."

A ghostly Dragon manifested, swimming through the air in a cloud of smoke. The surrounding air distorted by magic. It breathed in and let out a guttural roar, as its mouth glowed red-hot.

"Burn them to the ground," Genghis Khan issued the order to his Dragon. "Rip their roots and anchors from the land, leave none standing."

Aasaa stared at the monstrosity Genghis Khan summoned. _That's another Noble Phantasm? How many does he have? _

Aasaa stepped back from the edge of the roof to observe the beast. It seemed intangible to him, and probably possessed a fire related attack.

The Dragon spewed molten iron at the magi. Some were caught in it, their flesh burning and blistering on contact. Screams of terror and agony filled the air as the molten iron flowed and bubbled, flooding the ground as it sought out magi not yet caught in its fiery embrace. A sea of silvery fire melted away the icy grip, releasing Genghis Khan. Bursting from his restraints, Genghis Khan and his Dragon executed a joint attack as his Sole Ruler Of The Plains combined with a burst of molten iron. It showered the surrounding magi with specks of molten iron, each fragment burning flesh insidiously. They screamed and clawed at their skin to pluck away the smoking fragments clinging to their blistered skin.

The Dragon unleashed another blast of molten iron at a magus who created a magical barrier. The molten iron caused it to melt and fold before collapsing. Genghis Khan ordered the Dragon to fight independently, and it took off to the skies, sending streams of molten iron at stray magi.

"His Noble Phantasm melts mana, run!" The remaining magi regrouped shuddering at the prospect of continuing the battle. Their foe showed no weakness or mercy. Their problems magnified when the roof of the church blasted open, and a figure flew out of the hole created. He wore white and gold, his clothes lined with golden sigils.

Sircolia summoned his beams of energy, and blasted at the magi beneath him. They dodged or blocked, before counter attacking with magic of their own. Sircolia looked down on their weak magic, and responded with his lava orbs. The magi split up to evade the glowing masses of fire and rock, while still maintaining their defence against Sircolia's beams. Sircolia continued to weave his Magecraft. He summoned his lightning orbs and used gale-force winds to propel them at his enemies. Several collapsed on contact, their bodies fried.

Genghis Khan charged again, with renewed fervour, his lust for battle seemingly endless. He raised his scimitar and slashed his foes as he went, doing so with fury and passion, in an attempt to outdo his Master.

On the rooftop, Aasaa observed the battle, Hou Yi behind him. He stared at his command seals, gripping a projected sword so tightly his knuckles were white.

_This devastation. I need to save them. How can a hero turn his back on this? _

Hou Yi fired several searing arrows at Sircolia, forcing him to deactivate all his spells to create a massive disk for protection. The arrows shot by Hou Yi exploded on the disk, causing it to shudder.

Sircolia levitated in the air, the sky darkened as a rumbling could be heard in the distance. "Why is it always you who comes to challenge me?" he asked. Sircolia made sure Genghis Khan kept the magi occupied before readying beams to fire at Aasaa, who took cover, while Hou Yi shot the beams out of the air. Sircolia cursed, and created a lava orb. Lighting flashed in the distance, illuminating the floating magus. Rain followed. The lava orb fizzled and sparked as the rain hit it, though it showed no sign of cooling. It surged at Hou Yi who charged his Noble Phantasm, waiting for the very last moment to release it.

"Piercer Of Nine Suns."

The lava orb shattered into clumps of burning rock. 8 more arrows went to Sircolia, who used the giant disk to block it. The arrows shattered the disk, forcing Sircolia drop his levitation to avoid the last few arrows. He fell a dozen feet, dodging them, before re-casting his levitation, as the remaining arrows circled back for him. With desperate hand movements, he created more forcefields, and blasted the arrows with lightning orbs.

"Witness the power of Hou Yi, the swift and precise arrow of the gods. You don't stand a chance against my golden barrage." He drew his bow, its golden feathers rustling with his power.

Aasaa could see Sircolia struggling. He dealt with the last few arrows haphazardly. Sensing his weakness, Aasaa gave Hou Yi the order to press the attack.

"I thought you wouldn't ask."

Meanwhile, Aasaa readied his Projection.

"Trace On."

He created a projection of Hou Yi's bow, in order to fight Genghis Khan. He repeated the steps when he first projected it. Now with a weaker version of Hou Yi's Piercer Of Nine Suns, he fired arrows at Genghis Khan from the roof. Hou Yi managed to sneak in one more wisecrack while the two of them pelted arrows at their enemies. "That's a good bow you have Master. It's owner must be a great warrior."

Aasaa rolled his eyes before continuing the attack, catching Genghis Khan in an explosive blast. Emerging from it unscathed, he reined his horse, and gave the order to charge after Aasaa when Gordafarid tackled him off his horse. She jumped at him from his blind-spot, lance and scimitar ready to strike. A burst of mana erupted from her as she engaged Genghis Khan.

"I sensed you needed assistance." Fezgrem approached from behind.

"Please, Sircolia and Genghis Khan are tearing this place apart."

"I will jump at any opportunity to slay that bastard." Fezgrem used his magic to pluck tiles and bricks from the building they were on, shaved off some material to expose sharp, jagged edges, and then launched them at Sircolia. His opponent responded with a gale force attack, blowing away all the bricks and then creating more beams to aim at his new attacker. "Fezgrem, I have been fighting the urge to kill you ever since you walked into my office. Die."

Hou Yi continued to shoot Sircolia with arrows, forcing him to constantly defend. "Yea, you better run," Hou Yi shot arrows at Sircolia's forcefield. The arrows bounced off, causing the force field to reverberate.

Genghis Khan kicked Gordafarid off him. She tried to slit his throat with her scimitar, which failed due to his Man Of Iron. Genghis Khan blew a war horn, and more Mongolian warriors emerged from the burning church. They descended upon her, in a flurry of hacking and stabbing.

"A Lion Eager For Battle," Gordafarid raised her scimitar up. She gained power proportionate to the number of her attackers, and greeted them with precise and powerful strokes. She slew several of them, as more advanced to surround her.

Genghis Khan ordered his men to fall back as they were not effective against her. They halted their charge, and retreated. The Dragon descended from the clouds to replace them, fiery droplets dripping from its toothed maw. It let out a roar, sending a stream of molten iron at Gordafarid. She dodged the attack, leaping over the molten iron.

Genghis Khan inserted his scimitar into the Dragon's mouth. When he pulled it out, it crackled with orange lightning and burned as bright as the sun, droplets of what appeared to be liquid fire dripped to the ground, searing it. He used his ignited scimitar to hack at Gordafarid, forcing her on the defensive as she used both her sword and lance to parry each strike. A downward strike needed both of her weapons to block, and the impact unleashed a shockwave followed by a spray of molten sparks. Gordafarid attempted to counter when she received a punch so powerful, she crashed into a wall. She leaped out, only to barely survive a horizontal slash by dodging and going behind him. She drove her weapons into him, fully committing and getting nothing but a glancing hit in return. Genghis Khan turned around and pummelled her with his weapon. Straining to parry it, she winced in pain as Genghis Khan's scimitar emitted bursts of flame and sparks as it clashed, explosions rippling out from it with each clash. The force of small bombs from the clashes buffeted the defending Gordafarid who struggled to maintain her defences against the burning assault. Genghis Khan charged forward, armour burning red. He slammed into Gordafarid, sending her dragging across the floor, cracking the ground as she went. He advanced, surging after her as she remained slumped on the ground. Genghis Khan dragged his burning weapon across the floor, emitting a wave of fire which he sent flying at her. Gordafarid's eyes snapped open and she jumped out of its way, over him and threw her spear at his exposed back. Turning around, Genghis Khan activated Sole Ruler Of The Plains, sending ripples of force towards Gordafarid from the impact. She moved back, only to be caught in a blast of molten iron from The Dragon who had waited patiently to strike all this while. His mana-burning attack ravaged her armour, and it no longer offered her protection. On the back of this, he chased after her. His scimitar whipped and slashed, causing stray fires in the wake of their battle. He proved too much for her, and she retreated. Satisfied with his Dragon's performance, Genghis Khan deactivated it.

Genghis Khan observed the battlefield. The surviving magi fled. Genghis Khan resumed his charge after Aasaa. He crashed into the rooftop, releasing a shower of broken bricks as he pursued him. He made a sweeping attack for Aasaa, forcing Hou Yi to switch targets and aid his Master, allowing Sircolia a brief respite. Sircolia capitalized on this with a barrage of energy beams.

"Aasaa, we cannot hold them." Fezgrem ran out of bricks as he spoke.

"Alright, we have to run. I will have Hou Yi provide cover fire," Aasaa said.

"No need. I will buy both of you time. Go!" Fezgrem said. "Gordafarid, I command you to stop Genghis Khan and Sircolia. Protect me so I can escape."

Gordafarid reappeared beside Fezgrem.

"Ever-approaching Downfall."

Her lance angled itself at Genghis Khan, and flew at him. It bounced off his chest, and clattered to the floor.

"Pathetic." Genghis Khan raised his scimitar at her.

Aasaa and Hou Yi had retreated by now. Fezgrem opened a hole in a rooftop by parting the tiles beneath him, and slipped into the building below.

Gordafarid summoned her lance back to her, and prepared for a confrontation.

Sircolia got behind Genghis Khan, and gave him the order to attack.

Genghis Khan switched to his recurve bow, using his mounted position to fire repeatedly at Gordafarid, while still keeping out of her reach. It required masterful footwork, as the rooftop did not make for the best place to manoeuvre. Gordafarid dodged them, her swift and graceful movements akin to a dance. She finished with a leap backwards, off the rooftop. She fled the scene, leaving Genghis Khan and Sircolia to repair their devastated base of operations.

"This set back will only delay us, Master," Genghis Khan said.

"And you did not use Bloodless Victory. Why?"

"She attacked me from the start. Once we are in combat, it is unusable."

"Fair enough. Try better next time." Sircolia levitated back to the church. He passed over the corpses of over half of the original 78 magi. He did not even look at them as he passed. They were beneath him in every way.

Aasaa returned home. His head held low, and he took slow, dragged steps. He had failed to stop the massacre. He walked in to find Shiori waiting for him in the living room.

"Thank goodness you're safe. I wanted to tell the others, but you told me not to," she ran, pausing just shy of hugging him. Her eyes scanned Aasaa for any signs of injury. Her soft hand found its way to a tear on the sleeve of Aasaa's trench-coat.

"I couldn't stop them from getting killed. I will explain to you what happened later." Aasaa shook his head, recalling the fight.

"Don't be so hard on yourself, I'm sure you tried your best."

"My best is not good enough. I failed today." He sat uncomfortably on the sofa, as the weight of those magi's deaths burdened his shoulders. He placed his trench-coat on the chair. He rarely shed his beloved coat. He wore it whenever he felt heroic and at the moment, he did not.

"Is something bothering you?" Shiori motioned to him to take a seat. Aasaa gaped at her, wondering how she knew. He sighed, torn between telling the truth and preserving her morale. The wanted to preserve her ignorant joy and positivity for as long as possible. Deciding he would not be able to hide forever, he steeled himself to explain. "The truth is, the Grail War is costing hundreds of lives, and we are fighting on two fronts."

Shiori sat up, and inquired further.

"Genghis Khan is an unstoppable war-machine, I saw him aided by troops, and using multiple high-tier Noble Phantasms, and Guy Fawkes is fuelled by manic depravity." Aasaa pulled his hair, helpless to solve the deteriorating situation.

"We will work it out eventually. You got me a Servant, and improved my magic. You can set things right." She smiled with confidence at her mentor. Her reaction only showed how little she knew. Genghis Khan had shown his full power today, and they were hopelessly outmatched.

"Shiori, don't say that. It's not true, the things I saw Genghis Khan do today-" Aasaa stared at his command seals, and then at hers, wondering if their Servants could gain the upperhand if they teamed up on him. "He is in a different league." Aasaa's words echoed with defeat, unable to fathom a way to kill the unkillable.

"Look at me. I may seem silly or stupid to say this, since I haven't been to a real fight, but I know we will find a way." Shiori held Aasaa's hands and looked at him in the eye. The motivator now needed motivation. "You found a way to turn this," she said, referring to herself as a novice magus, "into someone with a chance, and a Servant. I'm sure you can pull off more seemingly impossible tasks."

The naive hopefulness she displayed brought him peace nonetheless. Still far from sure of their situation, what she said put new wind in his sails, and he promised to keep trying until they won.


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28: The Bells Have Tolled **

**(Day 4 of the 6th Grail War) **

The rest of the 4th day passed without much significance. Aasaa slept for a while, before he woke up to train Shiori for the entire day. He put on his trench coat, noticing someone mended his sleeve. Shiori smiled as his fingers touched the area she sewed, and his eyes met hers. "Thanks Shiori for repairing it,"

"No I didn't." She tried to deny, snatching a spool of thread from the table and hiding it behind her. Aasaa smirked, not believing her one bit.

"Sheesh. How did you know?" She revealed the item, chuckling to herself as she realized how silly she acted. Aasaa laughed in turn. "I'm in the company of good friends. Only you and Hou Yi knew of the tear." He turned to Hou Yi who spied on him from behind. "And my lousy Archer over there would never have done it."

"Excuse me?" Hou Yi said, laughing.

"Yea?"

"Sorry Master, I will not interrupt your da-" Hou Yi then coughed. "I mean, training."

Aasaa hoped to the Greater Grail that Shiori did not get what Hou Yi almost said. He proceeded to shoo away his Servant before burying himself in his duty to teach her, and she proved to be a motivated learner who never failed to impress.

Simo Häyhä returned from a long scouting mission, reporting the location of Guy Fawkes' next attack. Hannes drafted a plan, which Aasaa promised to review the next day. He crippled by lethargy, he decided he more rest. Fighting for several days straight had left him exhausted, and he had refused Florence's aid, as her mana came from Shiori, who needed it to practice her mage-craft.

**(Day 5 of the 6th Grail War)**

The fifth day arrived. Hannes presented the plan to Aasaa, with Misa and Shiori were present as well.

"Guy Fawkes will strike Parliament building. He intends to destroy what he calls "the ultimate symbol of authority in this region"," Hannes pointed at the map as he spoke with urgency. He could not bear knowing his country was under siege.

Simo Häyhä moved to speak. "We have detected several tons of gunpowder in the tunnels under Parliament Building, We need to enter the tunnels and disable the charges, which means he will be forced to stay near to protect it from us."

"There's a problem," Misa said. "What if we have a cave-in?"

"Fezgrem," Aasaa grabbed everyone's attention with a solution to fix everything. "He can control rocks and similar materials. Earth conjuration. We just need him to stabilize the tunnel."

"You expect us to leave our entire party at his mercy. I will not allow it," Hannes said.

Aasaa and Hannes argued about Fezgrem's trustworthiness again. Misa tried to mediate the argument, which only incensed Hannes, who still had grudges against her. Shiori, who everyone expected to stay on the side of safety, and thus refuse collaborating with Fezgrem, ended up on Aasaa's side this time. She cited the numerous times he had been right so far, and thus, they could give Fezgrem a shot.

"With all due respect Master, trusting Fezgrem with our safety is risky," Hou Yi said.

Aasaa turned to him. "We have no choice. Guy Fawkes' attacks will only get worse. If we let him escape, the city will fall to ruin."

"It is very irresponsible of you to decide for our safety. You can't expect us to risk it in those tunnels, when only you trust Fezgrem," Hannes said while Aasaa was settling his issues with his Servant.

Aasaa fell silent, having no answer. He could not force the others if they disagreed. However, he could not help but feel frustrated.

_Fezgrem is a good man who only had bad things happen to him. He will help us bring down Genghis Khan. _

"Very well, we will do our best to stifle his escape, we won't go into the tunnels, " Aasaa said.

"Simo Häyha can use White Death and pick him off," Hannes suggested.

"Don Quixote can force him into a close quarters engagement," Misa said.

"Florence Nightingale will neutralize his trance on the rioters. I have a feeling he cannot inhabit those within her Noble Phantasm," Shiori said.

After everyone said their piece, Hannes stretched his hands out, as if presenting to Aasaa the numerous solutions they had without using Fezgrem. Aasaa conceded to them.

He left the house afterwards, and activated the amulet. Just as expected, Fezgrem arrived after 15 minutes. With Gordafarid at his side, he asked Aasaa about the reason for contacting him.

"I want you to lend us your aid. Guy Fawkes will attack Parliament Building tonight. You should seal all his tunnels with your Earth conjuration." Aasaa knew Fezgrem could help, as Guy Fawkes tunnels were a major factor in the coming fight against him. He had to put aside the others' fears and do this for the benefit of everyone. They needed to defeat this crazed Servant to ensure Helsinki's safety.

"Yes, I should be able to help. What should my Servant do?" Fezgrem assured Aasaa with promises of allegiance and loyalty.

"Have her keep Genghis Khan from interfering by patrolling the outer areas." Aasaa turned to Gordafarid, impressed by how she wielded two Noble Phantasms at once.

"Very well. I will arrive within 15 minutes at the Parliament Building once you activate the amulet again." Fezgrem pointed to Aasaa's amulet. Satisfied with the outcome of the meeting, he got ready to leave with his Servant.

"Thank you for your help. After this Grail War, I will clear your name of any involvement with Sircolia." Aasaa shook his hand and returned to make preparations for the attack on Guy Fawkes tonight.

Nightfall arrived and Aasaa's team surrounded Parliament Building. Simo Hähyä stalked under Presence Concealment on the rooftops, while Hannes took cover a few buildings away. Hou Yi watched over the entire area from a skyscraper. Don Quixote and Misa formed the front-line, while Shiori and Florence Nightingale hid nearby, on ground level, with Aasaa.

A hole opened in the ground. Guy Fawkes strode out, his clothes flowing behind him. "At last, this will be the fire that ushers in a new era. The incandescent beauty of my cleansing flames. It will be a clean slate for all."

A horde of rioters followed him, the survivors from the previous encounters with Aasaa's team.

"White Death." Snow formed around Simo Häyhä and radiated outwards to envelop his foes.

Guy Fawkes evaded the snow storm, dashing just out of its icy grasp. However, his horde of rioters did not. Simo Häyhä used his White Death to drain their mana, which would sap away the mana used for the trance. Once the trance broke, he controlled the storms to not kill the rioters, but to contain them in there so Guy Fawkes could not re-possess them.

"A calamity. But we are prepared." Guy Fawkes remained headstrong and opened another tunnel and more rioters appeared. Almost 100 entranced law enforcement personnel marched out to Guy Fawkes' defence.

Guy Fawkes detonated several surrounding buildings. The explosions hit Hou Yi's building. Hou Yi updated Aasaa on his situation, who gave him the order to rescue as many people caught in the blasts as possible, which meant abandoning his post as fire support.

"I will tend to them, go now and kill Avenger," Hou Yi said to his Master through their connection.

Misa and Don Quixote rushed to face Guy Fawkes' forces. Florence Nightingale and Shiori told them to instead go for Guy Fawkes, as Florence Nightingale can use her Noble Phantasm.

"Nightingale Pledge."

Guy Fawkes' remaining army ceased their violence. They laid down their weapons as the trance faded.

Aasaa studied Shiori's face, brimming with confidence and determination as she stopped Guy Fawkes' army in their tracks. She even fired a fire orb at Guy Fawkes, setting his clothes on fire.

"I will not go down. Our rebellion will burn with the fury of the sun." Guy Fawkes ran to Parliament Building, still ablaze.

"Misa, you need to stop him. He is going to light the fuse with-" Aasaa paused, remembering that Guy Fawkes held no torch or incendiary. He then remembered that the Servant's body was ablaze. "Himself.".

"Alright, Don, I command you to stop Guy Fawkes," she said. Another command seal faded from her hand, and Don Quixote rushed to intercept Guy Fawkes. Her strike knocked him off his footing, still a distance from the nearest tunnel.

Aasaa rubbed the amulet, calling Fezgrem. A voice suddenly signalled to him from above. Fezgrem was already here, before he had even made the activation. "I came to help before you called, because of the ruin I witnessed."

"Thank you so much. Seal the tunnels." Aasaa smiled, raising the amulet to him as a show of their alliance.

"With pleasure." He sealed all the tunnels except for the one leading straight to the chamber of gunpowder barrels under Parliament Building.

"I can see stragglers," Aasaa said. "A few of them are left, and they are trying to ignite the bombs."

"Quick, we must go in and kill them." Fezgrem pulled Aasaa forward, racing against time. He stabilized the walls of the tunnel while Aasaa projected swords, launching them at the rioters who were rushing to the pile of gunpowder bombs, torches in hand. After disabling all of them, they found Isilda waiting from them in the chamber containing the gunpowder barrels.

"It looks like the traitor has returned." She glowered at Fezgrem with piercing accusation.

"I have nothing to say to your craven deeds," Fezgrem said. He frankly did not care about what Isilda did. He only said them to please Aasaa and strengthen their friendship.

Aasaa threw a freezing gemstone to encase the fuse in ice. They then engaged Isilda, who had summoned a Wire Hawk. Aasaa projected swords and fired them at the familiar. It darted and weaved through the hail of weapons and aimed to trap Aasaa. He leaped back, to avoid it. Isilda turned her attention to Fezgrem, attacking him with wires. He used sharpened rocks from the ground to shear the wires and then encased Isilda's feet in rocks, preventing her from moving. The Wire Hawk zipped for Fezgrem, who could not avoid it as a stray strand of wire snagged his legs. The Wire Hawk's talons were ready to dig into his flesh, and gouge his eyes, when an explosive gemstone blasted it from the air. Aasaa raised his blade to Isilda's neck, asking her to surrender. Meanwhile, Guy Fawkes' command seals on her hand began to fade.

While this went down in the tunnel, Guy Fawkes fought Don Quixote and Misa. Backed into a corner, he made a mad lunge at them. Misa raced herself in the face of his sudden counterattack, and ordered Don Quixote to defend. Guy Fawkes entered a manic state, his frenzied strikes pressuring Don Quixote who dodged and blocked his haphazard attacks. She batted him away with her sword, and activated her Revival of Chivalry - The Power of One's Allies. Her armour glowed, reforming into shiny, new plate mail. Her noble steed, Rocinante, and her squire, Sancho Panza, materialized to aid her. Don Quixote's growling ceased. With difficulty, she managed to take a fictional knight's oath, speaking despite the Mad Enhancement. Her Noble Phantasm ready, she charged to fight Guy Fawkes, while Sancho began to narrate the battle, his words foretold her actions. It allowed Don Quixote to make the optimal actions and also boosted her stat parameters.

"My friend and leader rides to battle against a foe who has lost his sense and his way. Fit only to die by her blade, his defeat is imminent, and yet he fights with the vigour of one promised with certain victory. It is fitting my Master faces such a foe, for both share a refusal to accept reality. She raises her blade, and strikes the enemy, who has left his flank exposed."

As he narrated, Don Quixote's strike disarmed Guy Fawkes' dagger. He switched to a flintlock pistol.

"The enemy is unrelenting. Does he not realize his efforts are futile? The ingenious gentleman is now prepared to execute the finest swordplay ever seen."

Don Quixote blocked the incoming pistol fire with her sword, angling and positioning her blade with perfection. Guy Fawkes cursed and sprayed a pocket-full of gunpowder at Don Quixote, igniting it as it sprayed, with his torch.

"It will take more than a cheap trick to defeat my friend. She will emerge from the fire unscathed. May he be rewarded with a most brutal flogging for his stubbornness, ."

Guy Fawkes allowed Don Quixote to stab her sword through his arm. Using his impaled flesh, he wrestled the sword from Don Quixote and used his other hand to strike her with the torch. Undeterred by the feeble attempt at clobbering her, she grabbed Guy Fawkes' hand, still holding the torch, and crushed his fingers. Both hands unable to fight, Guy Fawkes retreated, Don Quixote's sword still dangling from his arm. Don Quixote lunged at him, punching him in the stomach, before swiping her fist across his face. She finished with a kick, sending him flying across the floor. She walked up to him and used her foot to pull her sword from his quivering body.

Guy Fawkes grabbed her. He had suffered countless wounds and his arms should not be functioning. Yet, his madness proved to be stronger, and he fought on.

"Her weary foe ablaze, flesh and spirit turning to ash. This will be his last attack," Sancho cheered her on. "My Master the opposite, as fervour pumps through her veins, she brings her wrath to bear."

Don Quixote stabbed him in the stomach and used both her legs to push him away. Sword raised, she surged ahead, landing numerous hindering strikes, causing Guy Fawkes to double over. He stepped back, feet shaking. He got up, refusing to die.

"A misguided attempt sends him rushing to his demise. He rushes at my Master, whose strike is true."

Guy Fawkes lumbered towards her and found himself impaled upon Don Quixote's sword. He struggled frantically, clawing at her as his chest poured out blood. Don Quixote's sword pierced his black heart.

"He struggles like a savage beast. Yet both murderer and murdered are savages in the grand scheme of things."

Guy Fawkes weakened as the wounds took their toll. Streaming with blood, his body convulsing in a final death-rattle, he died impaled upon Don Quixote's sword. Their job now complete, Sancho and Roccinante bowed before fading away. Unlike the previous situations where he would inhabit a new body, Guy Fawkes began to dissipate into mana. He ran out of available rioters to transfer to and died a true death.

"Hold!" Sancho exclaimed. "He is not yet beaten, and wishes to joust one last time."

Back in the tunnel, Isilda held off Fezgrem and Aasaa. She watched her command seals fade, and issued one last command to Guy Fawkes. "Self-destruct and take out whoever defeated you."

Guy Fawkes' broken body sprung to life, severed joints twisting like a cruel marionette. He clung to Don Quixote and opened his mouth. Gunpowder flowed out, and then liquid pitch, caking Don Quixote in incendiaries. His corpse stuck to her, and now it began to smoke before bursting into flames.

Simo Häyhä came to the rescue. He materialized before her and called forth a flowing stream of sleet and snow to put out the flames. Don Quixote got to her feat, wounded but proud of her victory. Wounds were of no concern to her, her knightly duty came first.

Misa watched the battle in silent amazement. The tales she read about her Servant had sprung to life before her. Momentarily, she found herself a part of the wonderful tales of Don Quixote's exploits with Roncinante and Sancho, both beloved characters from the stories. Don Quixote embarked on countless adventures with them. While she often failed in ridiculous ways, these two never left his side. Don Quixote only succeeded because of them.

Aasaa emerged with a subdued Isilda. Fezgrem took his leave, as Aasaa him told him not to be seen by his allies.

The rioters were free of their trance. Most of them sustained minor injuries, though they were exhausted. Hannes and Simo Häyhä came down from their rooftop perch to meet their allies, while Shiori and Florence Nightingale were busy treating the wounded. Hou Yi returned as well. The evacuation of the skyscraper succeeded thanks to his swift action.

"You know, dashing from storey to storey to rescue these people was tough. Only the best could achieve it," Hou Yi said, praising himself. Aasaa ignored him and turned to someone far more deserving of his praise. "Good job Misa, you took down Guy Fawkes."

"I wasn't the only contributor. We each carried out a role that suited our strengths, and together we attacked Guy Fawkes from every angle. We checkmated him." Misa looked at Aasaa, before turning to Don Quixote with pride and admiration.

Watching them, Misa smiled. Their efforts today shared similarities with how Don Quixote and his companions stayed as a united band, bounded by close-knit friendship. Her smile told Aasaa one thing. She felt at home with this group of people. She now knew where she belonged. He smiled back, happy for her.


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29: Shuffled Pacts**

**(Day 5 of the 6th Grail War)**

They restrained Isilda in the basement of the house, secured by anti-magic wards. Aasaa sat down to question her. "Helsinki burns because of your Servant. How could you allow this to happen? The Grail Wars are meant to be conducted in secrecy," he said.

"My Family yearns for the chance to win the Grail War. My Family Head sent me here, telling me to win or die trying. If I go home empty-handed, I'm as good as dead." Isilda shot him a venomous look.

"If we did not have our hands full with a Grail War, I would've delivered you to your Family Head in person by now." Hannes' anger boiled over as he took a step forward.

Aasaa sighed. "The fact is, you endangered hundreds of lives, and caused extensive damage to this city. The Mage's Association will probably be detained and punished you severely."

"I refuse to speak any further. I hope the other magi kill you painfully," Isilda cursed.

"You will remain here for the time being. You will have your basic needs met. Any more is undeserved," Aasaa said.

Isilda stared into the distance, silent, ignoring him. Aasaa felt guilty about the whole procedure. He noticed his words sounded like Hannes', cold and piercing. He came to Helsinki seeking to become a hero by saving everyone, including those who committed crimes. He once believed everyone deserves a chance of redemption. However, Isilda remained unrepentant, despite hurting so many people. He could not spare any of the prison's measures in this case. He would have accepted her help, if she instead repented and proved trustworthy. The Einzbern Family became increasingly ruthless as their members constantly lost in the Grail Wars. The homunculi they send into each war were not to blame as they too were pawns. Nevertheless, she posed a threat even without a Servant, and they needed to imprison her, short of simply killing her.

Hou Yi volunteered to watch over Isilda. Guy Fawkes' behaviour sickened him too, and he hoped to find reason in his madness by speaking to her. Aasaa warned him that she was uncooperative, though the smug Servant boasted he could pull it off.

Later, Hannes spoke to Misa, while she sat in the living room reading her catalyst, the 16th century copy of _The Ingenious Gentleman Sir Quixote of La Mancha_.

"Is everything alright? May I speak to you?" Hannes asked.

"I am fine, better actually. I think after today's encounter, I finally understand our whole team dynamic." Misa smiled at him, taking another bite from her white chocolate bar.

Hannes was intrigued by this as they were enemies just days go. Misa told him about Don Quixote's battle with Guy Fawkes, and how they defeated him with Don Quixote's Noble Phantasm which summoned her most trusted allies. When she first read Don Quixote's stories as a child, she started to long for the chance to go on exciting adventures with people she could trust. Alas, the Clocktower did not provide a favourable environment to form such friendships, and she spent her days as a magus alone, with superficial friends she could not break bread with.

"Break bread?" asked Hannes, noticing the unique term.

"In Don Quixote's tale, he, in the books, Don is a he, calls his horse Rocinante his 'companion'. Written in the 16th century, 'companion' then meant someone who could share bread with. I found that moment to be quite endearing, as he shared a loaf with him," Misa explained.

"Interesting," Hannes noted. "It is very fitting she is your Servant."

"Yea," said Misa, smiling, "So tell me more about Simo Häyhä? He's a war hero or something right?"

"Simo Häyhä's past is one of humble beginnings, struggle and sacrifice, and at long last, peace. He killed 542 enemies to defend Finland, before being taken down by an injury. He survived the war, and lived until 2002, before dying of old age," Hannes said.

Misa waited for Hannes to continue, though he finished speaking. She got up, and declared her intentions with unexpected optimism, smiling at the mere thought of one day achieving some far off dream. "When this is over, I'm going to leave the Clocktower and find some friends, and go on the adventure of a lifetime. I wouldn't mind if you and the others went on this grand adventure with me."

Hannes paused, guilty for ostracizing her in the early days of the Grail War. He did not feel worthy of being invited to go, looking at her as he decided on whether to accept or decline. Her life contained no shortage of misery and yet her vibrant positivism grew on him. They were over a generation apart, and they came from different lands, and yet they could sit down and share a meaningful conversation. Her willingness to make the first step showed him that he needed to let the past go, and stop blaming her. "So, Misa, I need your help. I'm sorry for what I did to you, and I hope you can forgive me."

"Sure, I see no reason to dwell on it. My situation has improved greatly, and I feel like one of the team." Misa extended her hand to shake his, and passed him some chocolate.

"Okay. Aasaa trusts Fezgrem too much, and I'm worried he is walking into a trap." Hannes hunched over the table, coming closer to her as he spoke.

"I'm not sure what I should do to help. Aasaa seems to be really insistent, and he has been right so far." Taking note of Hannes' posture, Misa realized the depth of his concern and straightened herself.

"Just look out for him, will you? I promised his parents he will come back to them safe. He and I have grown distant after we argued about trusting Fezgrem. I need someone to watch over him." Hannes sighed, retreating to his seat. Weariness and defeat dragged him down, having failed to convince Aasaa.

"So basically, you messed up and need my help?"

"Yea, I am disappointed with myself. Chap's a good kid. He just needs to see, and I failed to show him." He fought the impulse to unleash his frustration at himself.

"Sure, no problem. I messed up big time too, so I will get you out of this. I will have Don Quixote protect him." Her Servant appeared and promised to help. Planting her sword in the ground to pose as a knight, Don Quixote stood glimmered with pride as she defeated an enemy Servant.

"Great, thank you so much for your help. Once again, you did not deserve my distrust or abuse. I should not have put you through it." Hannes did not feel worthy of the chocolate, and tried to return it when Misa held his hand and insisted.

"You had a good reason. So many of your associates were slain. How are you coping with that?" She paused and reflected, studying Hannes' expressions to see if he showed signs of breaking down.

"The long years I spent in this frigid land, protecting it, disposing of its enemies without questioning. It turned my heart to stone. I can take it. I have to. Lord El-Melloi The Second chose me for a reason." Hannes closed his eyes and whispered to himself, vowing to regain control of the Greater Grail.

Outside the house, on the cold rooftops that were now his roost, Simo Häyhä overheard the conversation. His mind wandered to the friends the made during the Winter War, and all the people he knew. They came from a different time. Even though he cared deeply for the Finnish people of the present, he could not go up to them and have a simple conversation. Somehow, even as he protected them, they were worlds apart. He shed a tear, longing for a way to connect with his people again.

In the forests surrounding Helsinki, Gordafarid and Fezgrem discussed their alliance with Aasaa as they rested before a campfire.

"Do you intend to see the alliance with Aasaa through?" Gordafarid asked. She had cancelled two Servant's names, and six more remained in the dirt.

"No. He is just there to help us defeat Sircolia and Genghis Khan. Once we stop them, we must separate, as I want the Greater Grail. To win I have to kill all the other Servants, including his." Fezgrem brushed aside her disgusted expression.

"Master, this is extremely dishonourable. It sickens me to know you are using him. It contradicts your goal to weed out unscrupulous magi." She stuck her spear into the ground.

"The ends justify the means. I need my wish, and no cost is too large for it. I told you I would do anything. This included." He got up to feed the flames of the campfire with more wood. His eyes burned with the same fire, and he would not let his goal die.

"One thing and I will allow it."

"What?"

"Next time you meet, make this very clear to him. When you do part ways, promise to uphold a 1-day ceasefire." Gordafarid now prowled around her Master, staring at him to ensure he got her point.

"He has four Servants. I hardly fine this necessary in terms of fairness." Fezgrem stomped on the ground, and insisted that he need not do so.

"Do it or I will lose all respect for you. You do not deserve your wish granted. I will leave you as your Servant." She threatened him with her scimitar.

"No, listen. Okay, fine. Next time we meet." Fezgrem tried to defuse the situation, noticing the glint in his Servant's eyes.

Outside the borders of their hideout, Genghis Khan arrived with Sircolia and a bed-ridden Bram Nuada-Re, carried on a stretcher by several warriors. Genghis Khan told everyone to stay their weapons, so he could speak to them. Trudging through vegetation with no concern for traps, he barged into their hideout. "Fezgrem, Lancer, join me or perish."

Gordafarid raised her lance at him. "Never."

"Bloodless Victory." Genghis Khan laughed at her as his Noble Phantasm activated.

A burning sensation filled Gordafarid's veins as Fezgrem's command seals vibrated and glowed. Her body jerked, now compelled to bow before Genghis Khan. One of Sircolia's command seals for Genghis Khan started to mutate into a command seal for Gordafarid.

"Lancer, I command you to resist this, and fight back," Fezgrem said. His second command seal faded, as the had used the first one in an earlier battle. Only the third remained.

Gordafarid's body returned to her control, as she broke from Genghis Khan's Noble Phantasm. The mutating command seal on Sircolia's hand faded, he had lost one. She attacked again, lance raised, stretching it forwards to stab Sircolia.

"Bloodless Victory." Genghis Khan grinned as Gordafarid bent over once more.

She halted her attack, and doubled over. Fezgrem had one seal left, and used it to command her to escape with him. She obeyed, though their pact ended. At the same time, Sircolia lost his second command seal for Genghis Khan.

"Bloodless Victory." Genghis Khan mocked them for trying, knowing she had no way out now.

Sircolia's last command seal for Genghis Khan mutated into one for Gordafarid. Gordafarid submitted, no longer Fezgrem's Master.

Genghis Khan and Sircolia also had their pact severed, as he ran out of command seals for him. However, this did not present any issues, as Bram Nuada-Re forged a new pact with Genghis Khan. He did.

"Thank you, Bram Nuada-Re. You still give to my cause, even in the state you are in. Your loyalty warrants an otherworldly reward."

"Yes, Sir. I will wish for whatever you want when I win with Genghis Khan as my Servant. So effectively, you win." Bram Nuada-Re lifted himself slightly from his stretcher to emphasize his loyalty.

"Excellent. Your loyalty has passed its greatest test." He then turned to Gordafarid, who was his Servant now. "Now, Gordafarid, as my Servant, you will obey me." Sircolia's uncompromising eyes stared into the resisting Servant.

"Never. You are scum." She spat at Sircolia, who wiped his face.

Genghis Khan punched her in the stomach, causing her to double over. With a quick gesture he ordered his warriors to surround Fezgrem. They threatened to kill him. Genghis Khan brought him forward, scimitar at his neck.

"Okay, I surrender. I will do as you say under one condition. You will not hurt Fezgrem. As he no longer controls a Servant, he is out of this Grail War." Gordafarid struggled to stand, as Genghis Khan forced her back down. She burned with humiliation, begging for her Master's safety. She stared at Genghis Khan with eyes that longed to rip his throat out, as her subjugator continued to deride her.

"Fine," said Sircolia. "He lives. Now obey." He brought his index finger to her chin as she knelt in pain from Genghis Khan's punch. A thin line of blood formed on her lips.

The Mongol warriors accompanied Fezgrem to a corner before releasing him. He watched as his former Servant pledged herself to Sircolia, before fleeing. Gordafarid cursed her situation. Although she threatened to break their pact, she only did so to convince him to stay on the right path. Her Master laboured under good intentions, and she did not want to see him corrupt them in his desperation to win. Without her to guide him on the right path, she feared he would succumb to his desperation to achieve his goals.

"With have another Servant, we should be able to destroy Aasaa and his companions. Genghis Khan, you are tasked with overcoming their bounded field." Sircolia looked to his former Servant, expecting the same loyalty as before.

"No, I'm not. Don't forget I'm not your Servant anymore." Genghis Khan pushed him away.

"Genghis Khan, as my Servant, you will take orders from Sircolia." Bram Nuada-Re raised his fist at Genghis Khan, now filled with his command seals.

Genghis Khan sighed. "Very well, Master."

Once Fezgrem left, Genghis Khan spoke to his warriors. "Some of you follow him. He will be going to find the other Masters. Once he leads us there, we will know how to by-pass their Bounded Field."

Sircolia and his entourage returned to the church, while Genghis Khan lingered at the campfire. Convinced his foes were nothing compared to him, he crushed the fire, snuffing it out with his foot.


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30: A Night Of Dreams **

**(Day 5 of the 6th Grail War)**

Hou Yi joined Simo Häyhä on the rooftop. His discouraged face only said one thing. Isilda had responded to his prodding most unkindly.

"Your reward is over there," Simo Häyhä said.

"Hmm?" Hou Yi looked up to pay attention to Simo Häyhä.

"You asked for a reward for helping me against those Viking warriors." Simo Häyhä reminded, turning to a glass bottle left out on the rooftop to chill. "I didn't know what you wanted, so I settled for a drink."

"I wonder what the people of this era drink," Hou Yi said as he opened the bottle and drank its contents with satisfaction. "It's good. Be prepared to get me this again."

Simo Häyhä was 34 years too old as a Servant to be offended by Hou Yi. Instead, he focused on his lively and confident personality, laughing at what he said. "How did your chat with Avenger's Master go?" he asked the Archer, who put down his drink to answer.

"Most aggravating. She is mad. Kept talking about killing all in her way of the Holy Grail or something. I walked away before she finished." Hou Yi laid down on the roof tiles, folded his arms behind his head and gazed at the night sky, whistling like a bird as his eyes saw the golden streams of shooting stars above. It reminded him of his arrows.

They chatted for a while, when Hou Yi finished his drink and tossed it away from the rooftop. Simo Häyhä dashed off and returned with the drink to dispose of it properly. The glass bottle did not shatter, as Simo Häyhä caught it before it landed. His speed impressed Hou Yi

At around 2 AM, Hou Yi told Simo Häyhä that he needed to go away for a while. "Heh, looks like tonight's the night my Master dreams about my past. I need to see if he's alright."

Simo Häyhä patted him on the shoulder, with camaraderie often found among fellow soldiers. "Go ahead, it may get ugly. Hannes soiled his pants when he saw my face get blown off by an explosive round."

Hou Yi turned to him in disbelief. "No way. I'll never believe you."

"Wanna bet? Next round of drinks will be bought by whoever loses." He upheld formality around those he did not know. As their conversation progressed, he found himself comfortable speaking to Hou Yi with his regular voice.

"Prove it by the time I return." Hou Yi returned to the house to check on Aasaa.

Aasaa found himself in ancient China. He stood on parched ground, the landscape littered with abandoned buildings and the scorched remains of trees. The sky above him blazed with 10 suns. He knew why he was here. His parents had told him of such an event before. The was dreaming of his Servant's former life. As the bond between Master and Servant reached completion, a dream would occur, allowing the Master to wander their Servant's past. If there was any insight or lesson to be learned from his Servant, it would be found here. Aasaa made sure to pay attention. He remembered Hou Yi being gifted with a bow by the gods, so he could shoot down the suns. As Hou Yi's Master, he needed to observe this moment in his Servant's past. He watched as Hou Yi stood with his Piercer Of Nine Suns at a cliff's edge and fired at one of the Suns. Illuminated by the power of the gods, he fired the next shot without delay, and the one after that, until one sun remained. Hou Yi laid down his bow, his task complete. The gods brought before him a Pill of Immortality, his gift for his service. Bowing before the gods, he accepted it and offered the bow back to them. The gods refused, and suggested he keep it, so he could continue to serve them as he saw fit. He smiled, thanking them before descending from the cliff, now a hero of legend.

Hou Yi forgot about the god's gift, the Pill of Immortality, soon after. He found it unfit for him as he desired to live a mortal life with his wife over an eternity alone. The pill found itself gathering dust in Hou Yi's house, unused.

The scene changed as Hou Yi excelled at every opportunity to use a bow. He became renowned across the lands, and earned his title, The God Of Archery. The masses look up to Hou Yi, who they thought to be an agent of their gods. Hou Yi received requests from people all over to take them in as his apprentice. Aasaa watched as the now arrogant Hou Yi took in dozens of apprentices, only to completely embarrass and ridicule them with his prowess. He sent many of them packing, calling them unworthy of his teaching. Only one apprentice, Pang Meng, ever got further than the first lesson.

Hou Yi moulded Pang Meng into a fine archer, who began to replicate some of Hou Yi's achievements, thinking it would impress him. Hou Yi instead reciprocated with jealousy and resentment. His arrogance overflowed, and he set Pang Meng on an impossible task. Hou Yi challenged his apprentice to a competition over who could hunt more game. The competition stated that neither competitor could bring arrows. Hou Yi overcame this with the infinite supply thanks to his divine bow, while Pang Meng conceded in the face of such unfair competition.

Ripe with indignation, Pang Meng abandoned the competition. Hou Yi called him a weakling, and continued to hunt at leisure, mocking his apprentice with every kill.

Pang Meng ventured to Hou Yi's house, where Chang'e, Hou Yi's wife, prepared to cook the game Hou Yi would return with each day. He barged into the house, smashing furniture as he went. Chang'e shrieked as the invader turned the house upside down, in search for Hou Yi's Pill of Immortality. She ran to Hou Yi's room, and swallowed the pill just as Pang Meng clawed at her neck to stop her. As she did, rays of moonlight engulfed her, as she levitated upwards, ascending to the moon.

Hou Yi surveyed the land for more game when he saw his wife flying in the air, gaining altitude. Shock filled him as he ran towards her. All he could do was watch as she was resigned to an eternity on the moon. Maddened with grief, he shot Pang Meng dead and retired to his house to mourn.

Following this incident, Hou Yi lost his reputation. His bow rested in his house, never to be fired again. The broken man would lay out offerings to his wife every night, regretting his actions. The chance to undo it never came, and Hou Yi died a common man, despite his divine gifts.

Aasaa awoke from the dream of his Servant. He realized Hou Yi desired to return to just after shooting the suns to undo his arrogant behaviour and cherish what he owned. Rubbing his eyes, he noticed Hou Yi waiting in his room. Eyes half-opened, his mouth dry, he managed to mouth Hou Yi's name when he saw him. The room was silent, except for Hannes' snoring on the adjacent bed.

"You have seen my past. You know what I desire." Hou Yi placed his hand on Aasaa's pillow.

"Yes. But such a wish is-"

"Impossible. I know," Hou Yi resigned. "I am a fictional figure. None of this can or should be granted because it never actually happened."

Aasaa got up to comfort Hou Yi. Hou Yi smiled, surprising Aasaa, who expected his Servant to grieve. "Come on, my tale is so old. I've had enough time to get over it."

Aasaa chuckled, he did not expect his Servant to react this way.

Hou Yi continued, "Master, I know you wish to end the Grail War. I won't be getting any wishes granted from fighting for you."

"Yea, will you leave me?" Aasaa sat up to give his Servant his attention.

The smug Servant crossed his arms. "Hah, never! Before I made my mistakes and let pride get into my head, I just wanted to save people."

Aasaa agreed with this, remembering Hou Yi's initial benevolence, as a man who wanted to protect humanity by shooting down 9 of the 10 suns. He smiled as Hou Yi pledged to honour his former self by fighting on his side to save innocents from the Grail War's devastation.

Aasaa found Hou Yi's new motivation to be noble. He realized Hou Yi learned much since his downfall as an arrogant scumbag. He gained much wisdom after a life of repaying for his mistakes had made him change his ways, returning him to his kinder earlier self. Only an air of confidence remained, instead of destructive arrogance.

They concluded their conversation with a vow to continue the fight against Genghis Khan and Sircolia. Satisfied, Aasaa returned to his sleep. Watching his Master doze off, Hou Yi then picked up someone shuffling around in the room under Presence Concealment. "Come on Simuna, I know you're here."

Simo Häyhä appeared before him, standing just beside Hannes' bed. He kicked the bed, causing Hannes to stir. "Master, remember when you soiled your pants when you dreamed about my past?"

Hannes stirred in his bed, barely conscious. In his dream-like state, he muttered a "yes." He then confirmed his statement. He did soil his pants. A grin formed on Simo Häyhä's scarred cheek.

Hou Yi left the room a humbler man. Simo Häyhä followed him on the verge of laughing. Hannes would never need to know his Servant just used the most embarrassing incident in his life to win a bet.

In the adjacent room, Shiori did not feel so good. She too experienced a dream. She wandered through nightmarish hellscapes of the Crimean War, reliving Florence Nightingale's life.

In 1854, the horrific conditions of the Crimean War stirred Florence Nightingale to action. Seeing it as her chance to fulfil God's calling, she recruited 38 others and volunteered as medical staff for the war effort. She arrived at the main British base in Istanbul, where unsanitary conditions, rampant suffering and infection, and overworked medical staff shocked her.

Shiori now stood in a field of dying soldiers. They were placed near each other, the surrounding conditions disgusting and deplorable. Some soldiers lived among excrement and pools of blood. All around, soldiers suffered and died to infection and disease. The haunting sight before Shiori caused her to cover her eyes, and break down in panic.

Sinking in to fear and despair, the glow of a candle-lit lamp shone upon her, filling her with peace and hope. Removing her hands from her eyes, Shiori looked up to see Florence Nightingale making her rounds, tending to each soldier. The soldiers thanked her, as she treated their wounds and diseases. She brought the light of hope wherever she went.

The scenery changed. Now, proper healthcare facilities were set up, and sanitation took leaps in improvement. Florence Nightingale campaigned and pleaded with the officials in Britain to devote more resources to the soldier's well-being. Under her instruction and wisdom, the proper measures were taken and now only a fraction of the soldiers died.

Shiori witnessed a final scene of Florence Nightingale back in Britain, where she passed policies that would form the foundation of modern nursing. Her work spread across the world, and revolutionized healthcare. The conditions in hospitals and the expertise of the staff improved, causing the death toll to fall everywhere Florence Nightingale's teachings and policies went.

The dream ended on a pleasant note, and Shiori drifted off into a deep sleep. She now understood Florence Nightingale's motivation to save others and why she desired to put an end to Genghis Khan's onslaught.

Hou Yi and Simo Häyhä returned to their post, and continued watching over the house. They shook hands, with Hou Yi promising to find Simo Häyhä a gift. He returned at around 3am, with a 6-pack of beer. Simo Häyhä secretly wondered how a Servant like him managed to purchase it, or if he even purchased it in the first place. Not giving it more thought, he took a seat as Hou Yi placed the beer in-front of him.

"Drink, you won."

"No, we're sharing this."

A smile escaped Hou Yi as he found himself a can and cheered with Simo Häyhä.

"Mind if I join you?" Florence Nightingale said, approaching them.

The two of them welcomed her over. Hou Yi handed her one of the cans, while Simo Häyhä asked her if she drank. She studied the beverage, her understanding of the human body revealing the harmful effects of alcohol. "Harmful to the liver, may lead to intoxication in large doses."

"What?" Hou Yi asked.

"It's not good for humans," Simo Häyhä explained.

"Nothing fun ever is. Anyway, we're Heroic Spirits, why do we care?" Hou Yi took another swig from his drink.

"I guess one wouldn't hurt," Florence Nightingale replied. She took the drink at sat beside Simo Häyhä.

"You could take a dozen more," Hou Yi said. He strengthened his voice to make a boast. "I found this pack of 6 from an overturned delivery truck. If you want more, I'll go back there to take."

Simo Häyhä choked on his drink.

Florence Nightingale shot a dirty look at him. "So you stole this?"

"Just take the damn drink."

"I wonder how your Master puts up with you," she sighed, taking a small sip.

"Aasaa? I think he's got bigger problems to worry about." Hou Yi shrugged before making an attempt to change the conversation.

"How are you so aloof?" Florence Nightingale shot a stern glare at him. "We should be there to help our Masters, not seek personal joy."

"It's only a matter of time before we fade away, either victorious or killed by that bastard Khan. Relax a little." Hou Yi continued, still smiling despite the fact that they discussed their inevitable 'deaths'.

Simo Häyhä listened on, wondering if he should say anything. "Hou Yi is a joker. I think that's his outlet."

"I am familiar with soldiers turning to-" Florence Nightingale paused as the horrors of the Crimean War flashed in her head. "Means to relieve their psychological trauma."

Simo Häyhä nodded, his expression solemn. War could not and should not be taken lightly.

Florence Nightingale continued, "I doubt you are so stressed that you have to make light of everything around you. I expect you to give your best. The fate of the world is at stake."

"My best? You got it right here," Hou Yi stretched out his arms.

Simo Häyhä put his drink down. "Hou Yi, enough. You need to stop treating the world we are summoned in as your playground."

Hou Yi apologized to Florence Nightingale. They sat silently in the night, finishing the drinks.

"I knew someone like you. Hou Yi," Florence Nightingale's words broke the silence. "He brought light to the trenches with stories of home and family."

Simo Häyhä judged her tone, and knew how it would end. The watched Hou Yi straighten himself, wanting to know more.

"One careless mistake, in the middle of a story. We were all laughing when an enemy shell hit our position. I survived, he died smiling."

Hou Yi said nothing. No quip or smart comeback. He paid his respects to the soldier in the story. "I now know you have been through fire and pain to become a hero. Your Master, as she dreams of your story tonight, I hope she finds peace in your tale of war."

"She did." Florence Nightingale managed a smile.

"I expected as much. I've seen her train for hours at a time. You have a good Master."

"As do you, Hou Yi."


	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter 31: Invitation To Battle**

**(Day 6 of The 6th Grail War) **

A few hours after his dream, Aasaa awoke to the activation of his amulet at around 6am. He walked out to the gate to wait for Fezgrem just outside the Bounded Field. Simo Häyhä and Hou Yi were still on the roof when they saw Fezgrem approach. Florence Nightingale left the roof to watch over her Master.

"Halt! Simo Häyhä warned as he readied his Pystykorva. Hou Yi joined him and fired a warning arrow, which struck the ground near Fezgrem, emitting a spray of golden sparks as it kicked up dirt and fragments of pavement. Fezgrem flinched at the attack.

Aasaa told them to stand down, as Fezgrem probably came to them for something important.

Fezgrem held his hands in the air to show he was not a threat. "I have something of dire importance to report."

"Please,tell me what happened?" Aasaa said, eyes scanning Fezgrem's ruffled and torn attire. _Did Genghis Khan attack him?_

"It's my Servant. Gordafarid, she has been taken by Sircolia." Fezgrem raised his hand to show faded command seals. "Genghis Khan has another Noble Phantasm."

"What happened? How did he do this?" Aasaa asked, running to Fezgrem to check his hand. Concern gripped him. Very few Servants could interfere with command seals, though he remembered Medea, Caster from the Fifth Grail War, and her Rulebreaker.

Fezgrem explained his encounter with Genghis Khan, where he lost Gordafarid. Aasaa listened to this with clenched his fists. Genghis Khan has displayed 4 Noble Phantasms, and now he revealed a fifth, one which stole their Servants. They discussed a plan to free Gordafarid, though Aasaa admitted that the rest of his team did not trust him, and were unlikely to go ahead with this plan. Fezgrem thanked him regardless. "I will make myself scarce for now. Activate the amulet when the opportunity arises and I will do what I can."

Aasaa thought their conversation ended when Fezgrem spoke again. "Sorry, before I go, this has been on my mind for a while now."

"Yes?"

"What will you do to the Greater Grail once Sircolia is defeated?" Fezgrem studied Aasaa's facial expressions as he waited for his reply.

"We will restrict its mana again, and the surviving Servants under us, if willing, will all be made its protectors." Aasaa reaffirmed his goal to end the Grail Wars, expecting Fezgrem to agree.

"What about the wish?" Fezgrem expected Aasaa to agree with him, after all, he helped him against Guy Fawkes and Genghis Khan.

"The wish won't come to pass unless only one Servant survives. We hope to stop Genghis Khan without any losses and then safeguard the Grail." Aasaa said this with confidence, proud of his noble mission to stop the brutal ritual which claimed so many lives. It blinded him to Fezgrem who now shifted uncomfortably.

"I understand Aasaa, your goal is noble. I must get going," Fezgrem said.

"Thanks for seeing our perspective. We will bring Sircolia to justice." Aasaa patted his ally on the back, though Fezgrem did not react, and walked off.

"Yes we will." Fezgrem parted a wall with his Earth Conjuration and slipped out of sight, the wall sealing behind him.

_I had just convinced him to put aside his wish. Once Sircolia is finished, Fezgrem and I will protect the Greater Grail as allies. _

Fezgrem moved far from Aasaa before he shed his false persona. He had a wish from the Greater Grail, and Aasaa would crush it by suspending the Grail War.

Aasaa turned back to the house when an arrow whizzed past him, fired by Mongolian warriors.

"We have found your base. Your Bounded Field is breached. Surrender or be destroyed," they said.

"Hou Yi, Simo Häyhä, our defences have been breached," Aasaa called out.

Arrows and sniper fire rang from the rooftop. Like shooting stars in the sky, they left glowing trails as they zipped through the dark. They buried themselves in the chests of the Mongolian warriors, who fell off their horses and faded into mana. Aasaa sprinted towards the house, slamming the front gate shut behind him. "Hou Yi, Simuna, they know about our location. Wake the others. A battle is coming."

"Yes Master," Hou Yi said before a figure dashed past him. A warm feeling spread across his arm, now gashed. Bringing his hand to feel it, he winced as it made contact with the wound. Indeed, he gazed at his bloodied hand and proceeded to evade his attacker who raised her weapon before him. A line of blood coated the edge of Gordafarid's scimitar.

"You! A mere gash will not stop the Golden Crow." Hou Yi summoned his Piercer Of Nine Suns.

Twirling her lance, she activated her Noble Phantasm. "Ever-Approaching Downfall."

It produced a singing sound as it whizzed through the air. She threw it at Simo Häyhä, who dodged it. The lance pierced into a wall behind him, dug itself from its position and aimed itself again, continuing to seek him.

"Gordafarid is here, she must be under Sircolia's orders." Aasaa said to the two allied Servants fighting Gordafarid on the rooftop. They acknowledged him, and returned to fend off their foe while he ran into the house to call for aid.

Simo Häyhä successfully dodged the next attempt by the homing lance when Gordafarid zipped at him, scimitar in her hand. Simo Häyhä's eyes widened as he tried to avoid her as well. For his efforts he only suffered a minor graze, his parka taking the brunt of the slice. Hou Yi fired arrows at Gordafarid, who dodged them with cat-like reflexes. She danced around his arrows, and striking at Simo Häyhä. An arrow knocked the homing lance away from Simo Häyhä. Unfortunately, he only achieved a momentary respite, as the weapon picked itself up and resumed pursuing him.

"That did not go as planned. Don't worry, I'll think of something," Hou Yi said as he continued to assist Simo Häyhä.

Gordafarid attempted to corner Simo Häyhä with a barrage of swift strikes. He countered by swinging his rifle butt at her, only for her to leap into the air, dodging it. He cursed at his clear disadvantage. The enemy gave him no time to snipe. Simo Häyhä threw his combat knife at the descending lance, deflecting it to the ground. The lance refused to be deterred and continuing to chase after its target.

Simo Häyhä switched to his sub-machine gun. He struggled to angle it as Gordafarid cut at him with her scimitar in a flash. Now backed into a corner, as his back pressed against a concrete wall, he aimed and squeezed the trigger, only for Gordafarid to kick the muzzle, making him shoot off target. Hou Yi fired more arrows, these charged up to be explosive. They bombarded Gordafarid's position. When the smoke cleared, there remained no trace of her. She dashed after Hou Yi from the side, scimitar eager to slash him. Simo Häyhä once again fled from the lance, jumping over it as it smashed into the corner he stood a moment ago. It made another attempt, and stabbed the ground where he stood moments ago. This repeated several times, Simo Häyhä always managing to elude it just as it moved to strike.

Gordafarid and Hou Yi were still locked in combat. At close range, Hou Yi resorted to dodging and evading Gordafarid.

"Get out of my way Lancer," Hou Yi said.

"Denied, I have to fight you." Her scimitar found roof-tiles only, smashing a few to pieces, as Hou Yi proved to be equally nimble.

"What's with all this pointless killing anyway. I'm just going to win once I get serious." Hou Yi tried to stab her with an arrow in his hand, using it as a makeshift dagger. She disarmed him and continued to cut at him, changing directions and feinting to throw him off. Hou Yi continued to taunt her as he saw through her feint. She responded with a cut that shaved the tips of the hair on Hou Yi's head. He turned to the passing attack, smirked and continued to fight.

"You fight well, Archer, but I must honour my bargain if Fezgrem is to survive." She brought the scimitar down on Hou Yi, who blocked it with his bow, now spurting golden light in reaction to the impact.

"A sad story, though not enough to make me pity one who attacked my Master's base." Hou Yi charged his Noble Phantasm while it locked with her scimitar.

"You're gonna take the both of us out, by firing at point black range." Gordafarid watched the solidifying projectiles grow in brightness as mana gathered in them, ready to explode with golden fury.

"What's the problem? Can't take a little heat?" Hou Yi sounded suicidal now, daring her to withstand his attack.

"Your insane."

"No, just smart enough to distract you." The Noble Phantasm dissipated, as Hou Yi jumping way, disentangling their weapons.

A sword slammed at Gordafarid, who sidestepped at the last second, to avoid the impact. She gasped as Don Quixote focused her frenzied eyes on her, with a guttural invitation to brawl with her. Gordafarid recognized she could not match the melee prowess of a Berserker, and opted for an underhand tactic of her own. She feigned a cut which Don Quixote parried, before running past her, going after Hou Yi instead, giving him no time to charge up a meaningful amount of power in his arrows.

His shots were mild annoyances to Gordafarid, who batted then away with ease whenever he fired. Don Quixote chased after Gordafarid, slamming the ground and other objects instead as she fruitlessly attempted to crush her agile foe. She growled at her nimble foe, who slipped out of her reach yet again.

Florence Nightingale joined the fray. Leaping to the rooftop to join the other combatants, she dual-wielded her pistols, shooting a burst of shots at Gordafarid. Gordafarid responded by somersaulting to dodge below the bullet trajectories. Now on the ground, she kicked herself forward towards Hou Yi who tried to punch her, only to be rewarded with another slash, this one on his thigh. Gordafarid ducked downwards, as Don Quixote swung her blade at her, only to almost hit Hou Yi instead.

"Whose side are you on anyway? Hou Yi steadied Don Quixote as she lost balance from her haphazard strike. She growled sheepishly before rushing at Gordafarid.

Witnessing Gordafarid hold off 4 Servants at once, Aasaa climbed up the house, attempting to contribute. Now in range, he projected a dozen swords at Gordafarid in quick succession. She deflected them with her scimitar, though one of them hit her. It did nothing against her armour. She picked it up and threw it at Shiori who observed the fight from the ground level. Hannes pulled Shiori aside, as the sword dug into the ground, causing it to crack. Aasaa's heart skipped a beat, he would never forgive himself if she died. Shiori ducked to a corner and huddled there, stifling a scream as she almost got killed.

Hou Yi retreated to safety, while Simo Häyhä gave up on running from the lance. He allowed it to strike his arm, a relatively non-vital part of his body. Drawing Simo Häyhä's blood satisfied her Noble Phantasm, and it stopped chasing. He pulled out the lance from his arm, blood spurting out as he did. Florence Nightingale made her way to his position, and used Nurse Of Steel to heal him as he held onto Gordafarid's weapon.

Don Quixote finally cornered Gordafarid and made a lunging strike. Gordafarid parried, and slipped behind her, ready to run her through, when Don Quixote growled, "Tilting At Windmills."

Gordafarid found herself forced to attack a section of the rooftop, now completely open to a battering from Don Quixote's sword. She braced herself, as the rending strike sent her flying off the room. She landed, bleeding where the sword split her armour, and bit into her flesh underneath. Fighting against pain, Gordafarid tried to lash at Misa who cast a blinding flash of light. Momentarily disoriented, she gave pause, now open to attack. Simo Häyhä leaped down after her, with the intention of driving her own lance into her back. Gordafarid instinctively performed a back-kick, kicking Simo Häyhä in the face and causing him to lose his grip of the lance as he stumbled backwards. She picked the lance up and threw it at Aasaa, who let go of the ledge to fall several meters to avoid it. Florence Nightingale went after him, preparing to treat his injuries. Gordafarid smacked Simo Häyhä with the blunt side of her scimitar, batting him away, before making another attempt at Misa's life. Gordafarid found herself hit with the force of a truck, and rolled across the ground. Don Quixote rushed to Misa's safety, and performed a brutal two handed downward strike, jumping from 3 storeys above.

Hou Yi returned to receive treatment from Florence Nightingale. Despite being the one who required healing he still managed to boast to her about how he fended off Gordafarid and helped Simo Häyhä. Florence Nightingale tended to him as quickly as possible, so he could be on his way.

Meanwhile, Simo Häyhä summoned his sniper rifle, aiming it at Gordafarid who tried to get up. Don Quixote stood before her, ready to bring her blade down once more. Aasaa arrived to find the four Servants watching over their defeated foe. Her performance against so many enemies astounded him. Gordafarid's ability to fight multiple opponents at once resulted from her Noble Phantasm: A Lion Eager For Battle. By giving her life to hold off an entire army so her allies could escape, she gained this Noble Phantasm as a Heroic Spirit. This Noble Phantasm increased her stat parameters as more and more enemies engaged her, allowing her to keep up with an increasing enemy force, although her power will always remain slightly below that of the combined enemy force.

Before they could subdue Gordafarid, the blare of a war-horn filled their ears, signalling the arrival of a Mongolian army. The Sun began to rise, its orange rays lighting up the tips of their weapons, causing them to gleam menacingly as they approached.

Don Quixote led the charge at them. She landed in the middle of the advancing army, sending dozens of them flying with her sundering cleaves. She spun her blade wildly, each one slamming into the warriors with the force of a speeding truck. Her Mad Enhancement granted her the strength to become an unstoppable bulwark. She sent men mounted on horseback flying.

Simo Häyhä and his Master were keen to not be left out on the action. The found a good position on the rooftops, and sniped away at the enemy. He aimed for enemies who faced Don Quixote's back, keeping her safe from any warriors attempting to sneak up on her. The Mongolian warriors retreated, with Don Quixote sprinting after them, dragging her sword along the ground and kicking up sparks. The shrill scraping of her sword filled Misa's ears with discomforting ringing, as she stretched her hand out to call her Servant back.

With Don Quixote out of earshot, she ran after her, shouting her name as she did. Simo Häyhä asked Hannes about what they should do.

"What should we do? If our friend goes to battle, we go with her." Hannes did not expect himself to say that. The words filled his chest with the warmth of camaraderie, killing any residual hate he harboured for her. He made up his mind to put the incident behind him, and bring the fight to Genghis Khan as her ally and friend.

"I would've said the same. Come Hannes, we have a battle to win."

Aasaa and Shiori were the only ones left. Shiori sat at the side, taking shallow, quick breaths. She crouched in a fetal position, still traumatized by how Gordafarid almost killed her by throwing one of Aasaa's swords in her direction. Gordafarid protested, trying to stand. "I cannot lose, if I fail my mission, Sircolia will have Fezgrem killed."

Florence Nightingale pushed her back down. She clicked her pistol and held her finger on the trigger, pressing the muzzle to her forehead until she winced. "You will die just like you did in your tale. History repeats itself." She glowered at the fallen Lancer, who had attempted to kill Shiori. Taking a glance at Shiori, still terrified of nearly being killed, Florence Nightingale found her anger spiking, as she pulled Gordafarid's head back, activating Angel's Cry to ensure she would not escape.

Aasaa fought down his personal anger at Gordafarid for threatening Shiori. He mustered the courage to explain to Florence Nightingale that Gordafarid had been forced into becoming Sircolia's Servant. Florence Nightingale thought she betrayed them, as they fought on the same side recently. Meanwhile, Shiori got up, still shivering as she hugged herself.

Her expression grim, she kept her pistol after making a warning gesture. Gordafarid massaged her forehead. "Thank you Aasaa, you are a noble warrior."

Aasaa helped her up, relieved that the tension had de-escalated. Shiori received Angel's Cry from Florence Nightingale and steadied her nerves. Still shaken, she broke expectations by willing herself to continue on.

Florence Nightingale took Aasaa aside, and told him Angel's Cry only gave Shiori temporary bravery. When it expires, she would be terrified again. According to her experience as a combat nurse, trauma from a near-death experience will recover eventually, though for now she may be frightened. Aasaa nodded and led them to the Old Church.


	32. Chapter 32

**Chapter 32: 2nd Battle Of Helsinki Old Church **

**(Day 6 of the 6th Grail War)**

Don Quixote crashed through the front door of Helsinki Old Church, ready to challenge her foes within. The Mongolian army that retreated here lay dead outside, beaten to a bloody pulp by the wrath of a Berserker.

Hannes, Misa and Simo Häyhä ran up to the door just as Don Quixote was thrown out, through the door she crashed through earlier.

"What joke is this? Is that the best you can do?" said Genghis Khan, approaching the battered door.

Hannes pulled Misa away, as Simo Häyhä faded into invisibility. He retreated to a vantage point to take aim.

Inside the church, Sircolia stood guard over a Bram Nuada-Re bed-ridden. Bram Nuada-Re stared at his three command seals, and turned to Sircolia.

"Sir, they are here. I will direct Genghis Khan as best I can, but I will need protection."

"Yes. That's why I'm staying here. If you are killed, Genghis Khan will begin to dematerialize. His mana consumption is immense," Sircolia said.

Aasaa and Shiori approached from the back of the church. Its Bounded Fields were in disarray from the incursion by 78 magi yesterday, and Sircolia had not replenished it. Mongolian warriors fired burning arrows at them as they tried to approach. Standing just out of range, Aasaa gave the signal to Hou Yi.

"Piercer Of Nine Suns."

Nine explosive arrows dug huge craters in the back of the church, blasting away the defenders on the ramparts of the church. A hole leading into the church opened the way. Florence Nightingale went in first, followed by Aasaa.

"Don't worry, I got you covered," Hou Yi said, readying his bow for the next attack.

The impact rocked Sircoliat. He did not expect a flank attack from behind. He got up, dusting debris from his white cloak, now coloured grey from a coating of powdered concrete. Bram Nuada-Re coughed from his bed. The force of the impact missed him, though it shook him. Sircolia used his superhuman speed to meet Florence Nightingale and Aasaa in battle, before they could reach Bram Nuada-Re's location. "So you are the Servant that made Genghis Khan return from the airport empty-handed. Show me what you can do."

"I would rather not. You might lose in a most embarrassing way," Florence Nightingale said.

Aasaa used two tigers-eye gemstones to create his floating eye golems. They zapped at Sircolia, who created a forcefield and readied his energy beams and lightning orbs. Florence Nightingale used Item Creation and sent a stream of grenades at Sircolia. He had to empower his forcefields to avoid being blasted apart, which made him give up some of his attacks. His lightning orbs fizzled as he focused his attention on defence.

"Angel's Cry," Florence Nightingale said, giving Aasaa a huge boost of strength and adrenaline. He wielded two projected blades and tried to slash Sircolia. Aasaa blocked a beam with his swords by reinforcing them before the beam connected. Aasaa continued to advance, forcing Sircolia to levitate backwards. He created a lava orb and sent it rolling after Aasaa. It scorched the ground as it moved. Aasaa tried to retreat when Sircolia's gale winds flung him to the ground. He lay there, helpless against the impending globe of fire.

Shiori came to the rescue by reaching out to the lava orb, hand surrounded in mana. She siphoned away heat from the orb and into her circuits. The heat of lava flowing through her circuits skyrocketed her body temperature as her skin glowed white, as hot as a furnace. The lava orb cooled to solid rock that still emitted smoke. It made a sizzling sound but no longer moved.

Sircolia stared at his neutralized lava orb. "What did you do? That's impossible."

Shiori could not even speak as she struggled to control the raging tempest of fire in her body. She cast a fire orb at Sircolia, pouring the heat back at him.

Not intending to allow himself to be incinerated, he neutralized her mana, preventing the heat flow. Shiori discharged the majority of the heat at Sircolia, forcing him to defend. It offended him greatly, to be forced on the defensive by someone who could hardly be considered a magus. He turned his attention back to Florence Nightingale, who switched to using her pistols. She ran around the forcefield, aiming for Sircolia's vitals. He responded with energy beams, before a bullet grazed his shoulder, a steadily expanding patch of blood stained his cloak.

"I bleed? Impossible. No one has ever laid a finger on me." Raising both hands to create a gigantic spinning disk, he roared with indignant fury. Its edges were razor-sharp.

He sent it spiralling at Florence Nightingale, forcing her to run. In an attempt to counter him, Aasaa fired a stream of projected swords and lobbed gemstone after gemstone at the slicing disk. The attacks did little to stop its approach.

"What will you do against this? Hero or coward, Servant or Master, it doesn't matter when you stand before me. I am above you all." Sircolia floated above them, taunting them as they tried to evade the disk's shearing slices.

Sircolia had not counted on one last member of Aasaa's group. All this time, he had been charging his Noble Phantasm.

"Hou Yi, we got him. Unleash your Noble Phantasm!"

"Piercer Of Nine Suns." He poured more power into his Noble Phantasm, strengthening each shot to have the force of a missile. They detonated on Sircolia's slicing disk, destroying it.

"Saved you Caster, we're even," Hou Yi said.

"You want me to buy you something?" Florence Nightingale asked, as the disk broke and faded away.

"Simo Häyhä told you about that?" Hou Yi swapped to a conversational pose, the allure of another reward apparently outshone the fact they were in a battle.

"Never mind. That's trivial at the moment. I'll get you however many." She stared with disbelief when Hou Yi lowered his bow in the middle of a fight. He let his arrows do the work for him, watching several of them home in on Sircolia.

The arrows came within striking distance, forcing Sircolia to destroy them with frantic casts of magic, and enact forcefields. His efforts barely worked. Singed and bleeding, struggling to stand, his glorious white and gold cloak soaked in dust and blood, he tried to weave another spell. Aasaa projected Genghis Khan's scimitar, ready to bring it down upon him.

Sircolia raised his hand, revealing one command seal for Gordafarid.

"Gordafarid, I command you to kill Aasaa Emiya."

Gordafarid stayed out of the fight, as she had a pact with Sircolia. Her neutrality ended when Sircolia used his only command seal on her. Red light surrounded her joints as it directed her movements to make a stab attack at Aasaa. Her lance found his chest. Aasaa coughed out blood as the lance protruded out of his back.

"No! What have I done?" Gordafarid's eyes widened as she stared at the dying Aasaa, now beginning to convulse.

Shiori rushed to her Aasaa's side. She told Gordafarid to leave the lance in his chest to stem the blood flow until Florence Nightingale arrived. She did so at the brink of hysteria, the shock and fear of losing someone burned through her walls of professional training as a nurse.

Gordafarid cursed with venomous rage. Now that Sircolia had used his only command seal for her, she broke from his command. She slashed Sircolia across the chest. He fell backwards, against a pile of rubble, bleeding.

"I am not dead yet," Sircolia taunted as a forcefield wrapped around him. "Bram Nuade-Re, get Genghis Khan to protect me."

"Yes Master. Genghis Khan, I command you to protect Sircolia."

Simo Häyhä and Don Quixote tried to challenge Genghis Khan earlier, and were already defeated. Hannes ordered Misa to run and not look back. Only he remained. Behind Genghis Khan, his Dragon Of The Golden Horde flared its scales and bared its fangs. Its claws scratched the ground, leaving a thin, deep marks as it went. It let out a hiss that sounded similar to a kettle releasing steam. Its molten iron ready to be unleashed.

Genghis Khan almost slew the lone Hannes when Misa appeared and used a flash of light to daze Genghis Khan's horse, causing him to jerk forward and miss. As he attempted to strike again, he found himself summoned to Sircolia's side by Bram Nuada-Re's command seal.

Genghis Khan appeared before them.

"Nightingale Pledge," Florence Nightingale said, rendering him unable to attack. She healed Aasaa, issuing instructions to Shiori and Gordafarid. Florence Nightingale removed the lance only when she administered a burst of healing magic. She repaired his organs and stitched flesh and muscle back together.

Hou Yi remained at his position, ready to provide fire support. He sighed with relief when Florence Nightingale successfully healed Aasaa.

Genghis Khan prowled around them, like a ravenous tiger, waiting for the Noble Phantasm to end. His scimitar hungered for blood.

Sircolia continued to lie in the rubble. He wanted her Noble Phantasm to end, so he could watch Genghis Khan butcher his foes.

Fezgrem arrived amidst the chaos. He came from the side, and opened a way into the church by parting the bricks. Aasaa regained consciousness, almost fully healed now. He saw Fezgrem sneak into the church from the corner of his vision. Aasaa's eyes lit up. Fezgrem crept past Genghis Khan and Sircolia. They had a chance now.

Aasaa sat up. "Florence Nightingale, Gordafarid, I want you to trust me."

"Yes what plan do you have?"

"I want you to lift your Noble Phantasm early, and attack Genghis Khan with everything you got. Delay him as much as you can." Every fibre in him wanted this to work. Fezgrem held the key to their victory.

"Alright, but what for?" Shiori turned to him, making sure the recent injury did not cloud his judgement.

"I can't explain. Trust me."

"Alright Aasaa, I trust you."

Florence Nightingale lifted her Nightingale Pledge. Genghis Khan charged at them the moment it happened.

"Hou Yi, protect me and Shiori from Genghis Khan!"

Hou Yi rushed to his side. Genghis Khan now faced three opponents. He parried Gordafarid with ease, and knocked her to the ground with Sole Ruler Of The Plains. Next, he charged into Florence Nightingale, who tried to use grenades. He caught one and threw it back at her. He then sprinted to her and stabbed her arm with his scimitar. She activated Angel's Cry and vehemently resisted his attacks, trying to land several precise strikes to his neck, ear and jaw. He did not flinch even though she targeted all the human body's weak-points. Instead, he kicked her, slammed her neck with his fist and slashed her stomach with his scimitar before pinning her to the ground. Shiori reached her hand out in concern for Florence Nightingale. "Florence, run, you are severely wounded!"

Florence Nightingale struggled against Genghis Khan to no avail. Hou Yi placed himself between Genghis Khan and Aasaa and Shiori, as he prioritized protecting them first. The Archer stood before the tyrant, golden arrows, nine to be exact, waiting in his bow to be unleashed.

Genghis Khan declared triumphantly. "In the end, you will all lick the boots of kings." Moments after his bold proclamation, his face froze. He took a step back, as if the wind had been hit out of him. "My mana," he said with shocked eyes, no longer feeling his Master's connection, and turned back to the church, trying to see if anything happened to his Master, Bram Nuada-Re.

Inside the church, Fezgrem drove a mana infused dagger into Bram Nuada-Re's chest, now spurting bright-red blood. He twisted the dagger and snuffed out his life.

Genghis Khan let go of Florence Nightingale who rushed to treat her wounds. He rushed into the church.

"We must go and help Fezgrem," Aasaa said suddenly.

"What happened?" Florence Nightingale asked.

"I saw Fezgrem sneak into the church. He must have killed Bram Nuada-Re, Genghis Khan's new Master." Aasaa smiled at the turn of the tide, turning to the ruins of the church. They had won.

Genghis Khan approached Fezgrem and Bram Nuada-Re. Seeing his Master's lifeless corpse in a pool of blood made him explode with wrath.

"You killed my Master? I will cut you to pieces!"

"Stop. You have no Master. You cannot win the Grail War at the moment," Fezgrem raised his hands and put down the weapon to implore Genghis Khan to hear him out. "The other magi are your enemies and won't form a pact with you. You will run out of mana within half a day."

"What are you suggesting?"

Fezgrem grinned, the small man stood before the conqueror of most of Asia and made a bargain. New command seals formed on Fezgrem's hand, glowing with red light with Genghis Khan's pledge to accept him as his Master. Their pact now stabilized, he received a stable flow of mana once again.

Genghis Khan emerged from the church, with Fezgrem at his side. The proud magus stood before his former ally, his mask of allegiance melting away to reveal cold-hearted betrayal. His father suffered its sting, and he as well, and now the scarred man inflicted it on others.

"What is the meaning of this?" Aasaa asked. "Quick, command him to kill himself, and we can begin work on restricting the Greater Grail."

"No, I have a wish to fulfil. Genghis Khan and I will take great pleasure in hunting you down."

Confusion gave way to desperation and anger. Aasaa resisted believing his words, hoping he heard wrong. The hope faded as Fezgrem grinned, shattering his faith and reason, giving way to a frenzy of primal emotion.

"I trusted you, I trusted you!" Aasaa ran to Fezgrem, trying to tackle him. "You can't do this, change your mind please."

Fezgrem encased Aasaa's feet in solid rock, and watched as he continued to grapple at the air a few meters from him. Genghis Khan shielded his Master, while Fezgrem turned to Gordafarid, raising his hand to show 3 of Genghis Khan's command seals. "Well, now comes the part you are very used to. Genghis Khan, use your Bloodless Victory."

Genghis Khan activated his Noble Phantasm, causing Gordafarid to be engulfed in red light. With no Master, her fate was sealed. Once again, she was bound to a Master she did not wish to serve.

"You are a monster, I thought you could be redeemed. I cried for you when our pact broke," she said, as the binding completed.

"You underestimate my conviction. The hardest of jobs require the strongest of wills. I will achieve my goal of ridding the world of evil magi so our society can progress." Fezgrem sent a rock at Aasaa, knocking him to the ground. He let Aasaa go, watching him slump to the ground. "I have no quarrel with a naive yet honourable person like you. I give you 1 day to surrender."

Aasaa kicked at the ground as Hou Yi tried to drag him to safety. In his chest rumbled a tempest of shock and lament.

_I trusted Fezgrem. I let him accomplish this. This is my fault. What will I do now? _

Fezgrem turned to Shiori and Florence Nightingale. "Genghis Khan, see if you can persuade them to concede, with you scimitar."

Florence Nightingale put herself in-front of Shiori, ready to take the attack for her. Shiori now knelt on the ground, trembling with a hollow look in her eyes. The Angel's Cry expired and the trauma of nearly dying returned.

Hannes and Misa reached their location. Simo Häyhä and Don Quixote were now standing, though they were in no condition to fight.

"Hannes, Misa, run! Fezgrem and Genghis Khan are now allied." Aasaa alerted them from across the battlefield.

"Genghis Khan, go after them instead. Florence Nightingale will just use her Nightingale Pledge again and make us look like idiots." Fezgrem turned to his new foes. Now with the most powerful Servant, they were nothing but irksome flies to him.

"Yes Master." Genghis Khan turned to his new targets. "Time to die."

The sight of Genghis Khan standing before their defeated allies caused Hannes to tell Misa and Don Quixote to run, while he and Simo Häyhä would hold him off. Misa refused and swore to fight by his side.

"Don't be foolish. Don't you want to go on your grand adventure?" Hannes asked as he pushed her way, urging her to escape.

"Yes, this is my grand adventure, and I'm not leaving you behind." Misa fought against him, clinging to fragile hope that did not exist.

"What are you waiting for? Aasaa, Shiori, get your Servant and get out," Hannes shouted.

"We won't leave you either. We can take him."

"No you can't," Fezgrem said as hundreds of Mongolian warriors emerged from the church, the ground rumbling as they came. Even Aasaa lost the will to fight. He and his allies, save for Hannes and Simo Häyhä were forced to flee, defeated in more ways than 1.

Misa ordered Don Quixote to stand her ground. She instead behaved against her orders and instead grabbed Misa before running away. She prioritized her Master's safety above all else, leaving Simo Häyhä and Hannes.

"Simuna, I command you to stab me in the back, and present me before Genghis Khan."

Simo Häyhä pulled out his combat knife. The red magic of the command seal gripped his body as he strained against the outrageous command. "No Hannes, stop this, there must be another way."

"This way you will earn their trust. Infiltrate them and kill Fezgrem," said Hannes, as the knife found his back. He coughed and fell to the ground, blood pouring from him.

"Simo Häyhä, with all my remaining command seals, I order you to earn Fezgrem's trust," he managed to whisper before Genghis Khan and Fezgrem arrived.

"What happened?" Genghis Khan asked.

Simo Häyhä's lips were compelled by Hannes' command to tell a lie he hated himself for saying. "I submit to your rule Genghis Khan. Use your Bloodless Victory on me. My Master is weak, and I have decided to join you.

"Very well. You will be allowed to join me, though I obviously cannot trust you. One wrong move and you die."

Fezgrem could barely contain his excitement. With impeccable manipulation, he gained 3 Servants in one day. With Simo Häyhä under his control as well, he approached Sircolia, who lay motionless from multiple wounds.

"Well Sircolia, I don't have the mana for all these Servants," Fezgrem stood before his foe. His arms folded with pride.

"Fezgrem, I always knew you were the strongest among us, and it was only fitting for you to come up on top, we should be allies."

"Did you really think that was going to work?" Fezgrem folded his arms as his mouth twisted into a grin. Lust for vengeance filled his heart as he stared down on him.

"Genghis Khan, flog this piece of scum to within an inch of his life. Then, have your men treat him. He will be our mana battery."

"Damn you Fezgrem! You will fall as I did. I am Sircolia Wodime, Son of-"

"Silence." Genghis Khan punched Sircolia in the mouth, breaking his jaw.

Fezgrem returned to the church, ordering Simo Häyhä to bring a badly wounded Hannes into the church for interrogation. He sat on Sircolia's throne, before 3 Servants who would win him the Grail War. The Mongol army swore loyalty to him as well. With triumphant ecstasy, he declared himself invincible.


	33. Chapter 33

**Chapter 33: The Weight Of His Failure **

**(Day 6 of the 6th Grail War)**

Aasaa grabbed the doorknob with a quivering hand. His back arched as he shuffled inside, the others following him, muted by their crushing defeat. Aasaa's chest burned with failure and regret as he spoke. "I am sorry. I trusted Fezgrem when everyone said I should not."

Shiori and Misa tried to comfort him, sensing his distress and guilt. Aasaa refused, finding himself unworthy of such relief. Hannes and Simo Häyhä were either dead or captured. Possibly being tortured. Probably. Definitely.

_When something bad happens, I don't want to be the one to say "I told you so." _

Those words echoed in Aasaa's head. The words of a wise man who tried to advise him. He chose to ignore it, and now others paid the price.

Florence Nightingale remained as objective as ever, and asked, "Aasaa, you are the leader now, what would you have us do?"

He turned to her, impressed by her unfailing drive to save people, even in the face of his tremendous failure. Why she turned to him confused him. He was no hero, just a young man with too much naivety and confidence for his own good. They deserved to follow someone better, someone who saw through Fezgrem from a mile away, someone like Hannes. He declined to lead, his voice hollow and aching.

"Aasaa, it isn't your fault. Fezgrem got inside your head." Shiori tried to comfort him, approaching to hold his hand. He moved back. How could he deserve the encouragement of those he let down?

"I kept insisting I could handle it and that Fezgrem is our ally. Deep within my heart I believed that. The failure is none but mine." Aasaa looked downwards and away, the weight of his actions ripping away all hope.

"Like hell it is. What is a team for if only you have to bear the weight of the failure?" Misa asked.

"I gave the instructions, I made the actions. I must be accountable."

"That may be so, but failure and mistakes are a part of our lives. We all fail. What matters is how we picked ourselves up. Look at me, from a scared pawn of Sircolia, I am now fighting for the fate of the world," Misa tried to pull Aasaa from the brink. He nodded blankly, too full of lamentation and self-loathing to appreciate her words.

_Do they not get it? Why do they keep trying to support me when I brought failure upon them?_

Hou Yi stepped in. "Us heroic spirits only returned to the mortal plain because we had unfinished business in our original lives. For all our legendary feats, we ultimately failed ourselves and thus have to fight for the Greater Grail to get a second chance."

_Just like King Artoria? _Aasaa remembered King Arthur's story, and her reasons for becoming a Heroic Spirit. It gave him the briefest of solaces.

"What you say may be right, but it doesn't change how I ignored you all, sneaking behind your back to work with Fezgrem." Aasaa bowed his head and sighed before continuing, "If Genghis Khan wins, the world will pay the price for my mistakes."

Before the others could say anything else, Aasaa brought his hands to his hair, greyed due to his use of Projection magic, as he sat down on the sofa and brought his head to his knee caps to cry. He hated them seeing him in such a pathetic state. Alas, this was all he had left in him.

_Who could oppose Genghis Khan now? _

Shiori did the only thing she could when words failed. She sat beside him, brought her arm around to his opposite shoulder and hugged him, soothing his pain. Her body felt numb, and her heart raced. The turn of events traumatized her as well

Misa took quiet steps to the kitchen, cautious around her despairing friend, to make them all some warm coffee. A warm drink could always improve the mood and today, he welcomed it most of all.

They tried to calm themselves as they drank in silence, though their fears and regrets blared deafeningly in their heads. Florence Nightingale spoke first. By now, it was afternoon and the sky darkened with rain clouds. She turned on her lamp to give them hope.

"All that matters is you fought, and you tried. Rather, ten times, die in the surf, heralding the way to a new world, than stand idly on the shore. We may fall, but what matters is we rise." She dispelled the hopelessness, if only for a moment. Her undying confidence in the fact that the situation was not yet lost burned away their gnawing fears and soothed their hearts. "We have to try, for those who lay dead on this Grail War's numerous battlefields. For the people who live peaceful lives and want to continue living them. For ourselves, for our honour and duty as heroes of the past and present." Florence Nightingale finished with glowing intensity, addressing them with the hopes of salvaging their crippled morale.

Hou Yi raised his fist in the air next. "I'm in. We will show that liar and traitor what happens when he messes with heroes like us. By the light of the Golden Crow will he be struck down."

Aasaa smiled. They regained their spirit in these uncertain times. He focused on his failure, converting it all into white-hot motivation to make things right. A new fire ignited in him, and he rose next. Misa and Shiori followed, the moment Aasaa stood for they looked up to him. He may now see himself as a failure, but to them, his status as a hero remained unchanged. Aasaa brought drastic improvement to Shiori, when all hope of her surviving the war seemed lost. Aasaa rose to Misa's protection when she drowned in regret and fear. Now, when he was down, those he once lifted from despair bent down to help him up.

Don Quixote only waited for Misa before indicating her enthusiasm. When she rose, her sword sprung into the air, firmly held within her gloved hands. She let out a roar of fervour and confidence. The dying, mournful air that once filled the room faded away. A new wind blew, one that was here to stay. It was a strong wind, one that would sweep Genghis Khan's armies and uproot the deepest and vilest of Fezgrem's schemes.

Aasaa's will to fight came back gradually, in bits and pieces. He would never fully recover, a part of him died. He shed some of his hopeful idealism, and made it a point to recognize he was not always right. If his enemies were to resort to such means, he would, if forced to, respond in kind. Saving the world from Genghis Khan's conquest became his foremost goal, and he told himself he could never settle for anything less. Rising from his seat, he said, "Now we have to rescue Hannes and Simo Häyhä."

Hannes found himself chained up to a wooden board in Helsinki Old Church. He looked up and stared with animosity at Fezgrem who walked towards him.

Fezgrem folded his arms, and in an assertive voice, began to negotiate with Hannes. "I have no evil intentions for the Holy Grail-"

Hannes spat at his face.

"Such insolence. Flog him." Genghis Khan said.

"Hold. I want him fully conscious when I bring him the news that his allies are dead." Fezgrem decided that Hannes was not open to negotiation at the moment. He needed to break him first.

Gordafarid and Simo Häyhä observed Fezgrem from the second storey. Seeing him now, no one would have guessed he once had a noble desire to root out evil within magus society.

Fezgrem looked at his hand. One command seal for each of his 3 Servants. Earlier, he used two of Genghis Khan's command seals on Bloodless Victories for Gordafarid and Simo Häyhä, gaining 1 command seal for each of them in return.

"This means no more Bloodless Victories," he whispered to Genghis Khan.

"Yes Master. Though I am confident we have the strength to win now."

"We better have. I did not come so far to fail."

Fezgrem returned to Hannes, asking him about information on his teammates. He received expletives and little much else in return. He chuckled before walking away.

"I won't punish you," Fezgrem said as he walked away. "I'm punishing your friends."

Fezgrem and Genghis Khan left the church, ready to strike at the house. They forced Gordafarid to come along, lest receive another beating, something Genghis Khan had no trouble doing, for cruelty was not in short supply. One of the Mongolian Generals, Muqali volunteered to watch Simo Häyhä.


	34. Chapter 34

**Chapter 34: The Ingenious Sir Quixote Of La Mancha **

**(Day 7 of the 6th Grail War)**

"Master, why do we wait?" Genghis Khan asked.

"I made a vow to Gordafarid about not touching Aasaa for a full day after our alliance ended."

"That is foolish. You have the upper-hand. Press the advantage, until not one person who can judge you remains. Kill and kill again, take all and split it with those who obey, I only believe in the way of the plains." The conqueror finished speaking, and the night resumed its quietness, the silence now deafening. Even the night feared what he just said.

"You have a point. All my sins will be made irrelevant once I use the Greater Grail," Fezgrem said. He decided to attack at the stroke of midnight, the beginning of the seventh day, in 15 minutes time.

Gordafarid made an attempt to protest, before one glare from Genghis Khan silenced her.

Aasaa slumped on the table of the living room. He snored raggedly, his fingers hugging a pen. On the table lay numerous maps, drafted plans for their next move and historical articles on Genghis Khan. It told of his descendants, generals, and of the different sections of the Mongol Empire, telling the tale of how Genghis Khan and his followers shaped Europe and Asia forever. They accomplished it with blood and iron, and ruled for hundreds of years. Aasaa last studied the fall of the Il-Khanate, one of the factions in the Mongol Empire, to the bubonic plague before dozing off.

Genghis Khan walked up to the house, raised his flail, and called forth its power. "Flail Of God."

The house stood as an obstacle to Genghis Khan's conquest. It housed and hid his enemies, and now their insolence forced his hand. For earning his ire, he would reduce it to splinters. He swung his Flail Of God, striking the house with unstoppable force.

Golden cracks lined the walls of the house, as the structure heaved and wobbled before collapsing in a pile of debris and dust. The 3 Servants emerged from the rubble with their respective Masters safely in their hands.

Aasaa sprang awake. They were under attack. He made the decision to retreat as the enemy had element of surprise. Scanning the surroundings, he scoured for a possible escape path, and failed to find one. Mongolian warriors surrounded them on all sides.

Fezgrem emerged, flanked by Genghis Khan and Gordafarid. "Well, Aasaa, I must thank you. Without your naivete and arrogance, I would never have got this far." Fezgrem lifted his head up, chest swelling with pride as he looked down on them.

"You traitor! This isn't the end. I will stop you, I swear, on my duty as a hero." Aasaa's chest burned as he said it, hands trembling, ready to brandish weapons to strike him down.

"Let me ask. Are you fighting to help others, or to fulfil your childish dream?" Fezgrem's words were poison, intended to kill the bruised ego of his opponent.

"A hero fights to help others." Aasaa rose with anger.

"Are you helping them for yourself or because you really care for them?"

Aasaa tried to speak, though he began to doubt in himself, paralysed by the realization, as his heroic self-image tarnished before him. Choked in dust and tattered by falling rubble, his attire lost all its charm. It now stood as a metaphor for his damaged ideals.

"Now you get it. Just a boy trying to make a name for yourself, to fill the void in you with pride and accomplishment." Fezgrem's normally neutral expression shifted to one of jealousy and spite. He looked at Aasaa, who had a family and a privileged life, two things he lost when his father's career fell to pieces from betrayal.

"I am not! I want to help people, people that-" Aasaa rose to protest. He stopped halfway, uncertain of his own words, almost bargaining.

"You grew up as a respected magus of the Tohsaka bloodline. Your life had no hardship. What empathy can you bestow upon the downtrodden? How can you help those you do not understand?" Fezgrem's tragic upbringing, as his father died a disgraced magus, showed through his words. They cut deep, each one ripe with bitterness.

Aasaa could not answer. He never struggled growing up, unlike those he wanted to save. He began to feel like a spoilt child who kept wanting more, when his life was already perfect. He had a family, wealth and potent Mageraft.

_What exactly did I come to Helsinki for? _

Aasaa now looked at himself with a new light, wondering if making his parents worry about him, so he can go on his heroic quest, was justified. The projected weapons he made, the tools of a false hero, felt just as worthless as the air used to make them.

"Enough Fezgrem! Aasaa is a hero in my eyes. He saved me and gave me a chance at redemption." Misa stepped forth, Don Quixote behind her.

"Aasaa charged against Genghis Khan alone when innocents were endangered at the airport," Florence Nightingale retorted. "No selfish person would ever fight for others."

"Aasaa trained me and cared for me, even when I did not deserve it." Shiori raised her hand, mana surging, ready to deliver a searing fire orb. "And he's a good man."

"My Master is many things, but you cannot justify your deeds by questioning his." Hou Yi put his foot down and called Fezgrem out. "You have just destroyed the house of an innocent family. And you stand here ready to murder us with an army."

"Enough! Enough! I will not tolerate your nonsense any further. Genghis Khan, slay them all. Leave not a shard of their insolent skulls." In a fleeting moment, Fezgrem found his argument turned against him. Now with Genghis Khan, he found himself unfit to have to handle these lowly retorts.

"Can you hear yourself?" Gordafarid addressed him from the side. "Even if Aasaa's deeds are tainted by pride and self-fulfilment, his actions protect innocents from madmen like you and Sircolia." She looked around, ready to dodge a beating from Genghis Khan. It did not come, for Genghis Khan found his Master's faltering most unbecoming. He hated weakness, and Fezgrem showed it through the cracks.

Aasaa felt the out-pour of support from those around him. He was not ready to accept it yet, still haunted by Fezgrem's accusations. Did he do good for himself or others? 

"Aasaa, lead us, how do we stop Fezgrem." Florence Nightingale raised her weapons, waiting for his order. She itched to bring Fezgrem down for the hurt he caused to them.

"I-I can't, what he said, it has truth in them. I'm not the pure hero I pretended to be. I have failed you all." Aasaa lowered his head, his projections dying before they even materialized.

"Now there's the solemn epiphany. A fitting end to a false hero," Fezgrem gloated, regaining control of the conversation.

"Aasaa, get up and fight, we need you now more than ever," Shiori said, trying to pick Aasaa, who now knelt before Fezgrem.

"You need a real hero, not me."

"You are the realest I know. If you are all Fezgrem accuses you of, and yet you strive to save others, what does that make him and the others? They kill and betray, destroy and torture." Shiori tried to shield Aasaa as Genghis Khan approached with his scimitar.

Florence Nightingale raised her lamp. "This is it then, if you are not up to it, I will use my pledge and buy you time."

"No, we can't sacrifice lives like this. Not yours." Aasaa got up and spoke through tears to urge her to fall back.

"It's the only way," she replied. "I put my faith in you, and if you need more time, I'm going to give you that. Just keep Shiori safe and win, with or without me."

Aasaa felt a creeping fear, then a rising chill. He realized they had no chance of defeating the army. Someone must die for the others to get away.

"I will delay them. Florence Nightingale, protect Shiori after I'm gone," he said. If what Fezgrem said was true, and that his past acts of heroism were just for pride and self-fulfilment, he would have to make it right, by dying a true hero. There would be neither criticism nor judgement for his coming deed.

A road of dissent rose from Don Quixote. She could be a silent listener no longer. Aasaa's self-loathing was undeserved and unfair, and she sought to help him realize that. Drawing attention to herself, she plunged her sword into the ground, hands placed on its pommel. She pushed Aasaa back, gesturing to him and the others to flee. With a roar of courage, she activated her Noble Phantasm. "Revival Of Chivalry - The Power Of One's Allies."

Her armour glowed as Rocinante and Sancho came to her aid. This granted her a brief moment of speech, to say her knight's vow. This time, she put reciting vows aside, and spoke to her allies.

"I will take them all on. If Genghis Khan is here, the Old Church is vulnerable." Don Quixote raised her sword to challenge the thousands of foes and their leader. There innumerable weapons, unrivalled cruelty did nothing to scare her. The wrath of a Berserker outshone them all by several-fold. "Aasaa, don't listen to him. No one's perfect, but you're near that." She turned her disgust to Fezgrem. "If you die here, who will lead the others? After I'm gone, I can trust you to protect them all, to protect Misa." She gave her Master one last loving look, smiling as her armour and sword glowed with mana, ready for a fight worthy of her name. Don Quixote's ability to speak ended, and her Noble Phantasm reached full activation.

Aasaa accepted this, looking to Misa, who had tears in her eyes. He recovered from almost sacrificing himself, and swore to honour Don Quixote by living on and protecting the others. While he may not be worthy, he vowed to give it his all, and that was what counted. They needed to stop Fezgrem and Genghis Khan.

"No! Don! Don't give your life up so easily!" Misa screamed at her Servant who walked towards certain death with no fear or regret.

Don Quixote growled affectionately at her, smiling as she drew her sword.

Fighting back tears, Misa looked at her Servant and friend one last time. "Don, you are the chivalrous knight I looked up to. Now go and take down as many of them as you can. I command you," Misa said.

Their farewell should have been longer. Alas, the enemies closed it, and a battle needed to be fought. It fit, as aptly put in the very words of Don Quixote, "_There were no embraces, because where there is great love there is often little display of it." _

Misa used all her remaining command seal to empower Don Quixote, before she made her escape with the others. Hou Yi and Florence Nightingale used their abilities to carve a hole in the surrounding army, and slipped through.

"Master, they are escaping," Genghis Khan said.

"Fear not. Give your all to crush their Berserker. One Servant dead tonight is a massive victory in itself."

"Gordafarid, you go first, tire this enemy out." Genghis Khan pushed her forward, at Don Quixote, who charged ahead with no mercy or restraint in her mad eyes. The battlefield was hell. Thousands of Mongolian warriors raised their banners, banged their drums and lit their torches. They waited for Gordafarid to sacrifice herself first before they finished off Don Quixote.

Gordafarid held her scimitar and her lance. She gripped them with tranquil fury. The Berserker before her was not her enemy, and yet she had to fight her.

Don Quixote smashed her to the ground with a dastardly swing. Gordafarid made a half-hearted attempt at a parry. Don Quixote made another mighty attack, her feet moving dirt under her as she swung her entire body. This time the pommel pounded Gordafarid's head, denting her helmet. She collapsed, defeated on her own terms. Not Fezgrem's and not Genghis Khan's.

"What is this?" Fezgrem got up, sensing something amiss.

"Ever-Approaching Downfall."

Her lance sprung to life, and dashed through the air, hungering for Fezgrem's blood. Genghis Khan caught it in his hands, his hand quivering as the lance continued to struggle. It applied increasing amounts of force to break from Genghis Khan's iron grip. It sought Fezgrem, and nothing would stop it. Genghis Khan held the lance there, straining. His Strength stat doing all it could to protect his Master.

Gordafarid stood up and told Don Quixote to break both her arms. This puzzled the Berserker who put her sword down before her defeated opponent. A knight could not continue to strike one who had already been defeated. Gordafarid pressed on, insisting she break her arms.

With a sigh, Don Quixote obliged. Gordafarid let out an audible wince as her bones shattered and her hands now dangled uselessly, gushing blood from where the sword sheared flesh.

Fezgrem was apoplectic. His Lancer had just attempted to kill him and then purposely lost the fight against his enemy.

"Gordafarid, I command you to kill yourself."

Her arms broken and her mana nearly non-existent, her lance already spent on Ever-Approaching Downfall. There remained no way for her to kill herself but to slowly bring her scimitar to her neck. Don Quixote understood now, and easily disarmed her. Left with no way to kill herself, the command failed. Fezgrem's command seal for Gordafarid faded, and the pact ended. She collapsed on the ground, barely alive. She smiled through her pain at the success of her act of defiance.

Genghis Khan lost grip of the lance, his arm exhausted. To add insult to injury, Fezgrem sustained an actual wound in his shoulder. Mongolian warriors hurried him away to be treated.

Genghis Khan took to the battlefield. He had enough of the others and their weaknesses. Some of his best warriors joined him. Don Quixote entered an aggressive stance, and welcomed them all. The battlefield devolved into a riot of chaos. Mongolian warriors threw spears and fired arrows at Don Quixote, who either took the hits unflinchingly, or smacked them away with her sword. She cut and slashed, kicked and bashed at all who foolishly wandered within her reach. Corpses of the warriors littered the battlefield, fading into mana, and the Mongolian warriors surrounding them started to make awed noises at her ferocity.

Genghis Khan made his move. Using the momentum his horse provided, he performed a powerful slash as he approached Don Quixote. Don Quixote rode on Rocinante, while Sancho prepared his narration. She meet him on horseback, parrying the attack. She responded with her own cut, a downward stroke on Genghis Khan's face. The sword bounced off his face. Sancho began his narration.

"My friend and leader stands before an insurmountable foe, and his innumerable soldiers. Yet, she is undaunted. With her closest allies at her side, she will prevail. She now makes a skilful stab at Genghis Khan's liver, which he has for the second time left exposed."

The stab attack did no damage, though it incensed Genghis Khan further. He made a punch attempting to knock Don Quixote off Rocinante, causing Sancho to respond with the proper action for Don Quixote. "Her reflexes at the ready, she dodges it with ease and retaliates in kind."

Don Quixote punched Genghis Khan squarely in the left ear. He shrugged it off, in disbelief. Sancho continued to narrate, his words growing faster, filled with burning intensity.

"Now the angered tiger makes another ill-advised attack. He decides to go for me. I will not flee. I don't have to."

Genghis Khan raised his recurve bow, arrow aimed at Sancho's heart. That proved to be a mistake as a maddened Don Quixote tackled him to the ground. He cursed as he fell off his horse, his arrow lying in the dirt a few metres away. Now he reached for his scimitar, and slammed it into Don Quixote's head. Repeatedly.

"She may take a beating. However, her spirit is unblemished. She rises above the tribulation and comes crashing down like a falling hammer.

Don Quixote broke from Genghis Khan, and drove her sword down upon him with enough force to cause the ground to quake. He absorbed the attack, though impressed nonetheless. Genghis Khan got to his feet. As he stood, he made another swing for Don Quixote.

"Her face bleeding, her attacks not working, and yet she prevails, for this knight still has teeth."

"Tilting At Windmills!" Her Noble Phantasm caused Genghis Khan's violence to be redirected at a random Mongolian warrior in the crowd. His scimitar found his chest, and he died, killed by his own Khan. Genghis Khan's face twisted with shock for a brief moment before he regained control of himself. He now lunged at her, bellowing like thunder, weapon poised to strike.

"Weary, and outmatched, there is still no crime in fighting on. She readies her sword once more, and this strike will be true."

Don Quixote's sword bashed into Genghis Khan. Capitalizing on the momentum, she followed with a strike with her sword pommel, and a kick at his chest, pushing him back. What happened next was a head-butt, an elbow bash, an eye-gouge, and a literal ass-kicking. Don Quixote used every part of her weapon, even throwing dust into Genghis Khan's eyes. She spat at him, clawed at him, bit at him. The fourteenth sword strike in and Genghis Khan decided he humoured her for too long. He punched her and stabbed Don Quixote's arm. He then grappled her to pin her down.

"Her foe thinks she is now trapped. It is the other way around, for Mad Enhancement can perform wonders."

A burst of mana and power radiated through Don Quixote as she let out a thunderous roar and tossed Genghis Khan off. She drove her sword down on him, changing direction in a crazed flurry of attacks, each harder than the last. Genghis Khan for the first time in his life found someone who dared to stand up to him, and had the power to back it up. He found himself retreating.

"You force my hand. Dragon Of The Golden Horde!"

The ghostly Dragon appeared, its scales the colour of freshly mined ore. It swished in the air for a while, as Don Quixote attempted to strike it. Her attack passed through, as the dragon's figure distorted into smoke. It reformed, hissed and unleashed its molten payload. Liquid iron coated Don Quixote's armour, burning and peeling away at it. She bellowed in agony, as the iron cooked her. Her armour now worn out by the searing attack, her momentum stalled, and she reached her limits.

"This will be the grand finale. The epic conclusion to The Ingenious Sir Quixote of La Mancha."

Don Quixote broke her Noble Phantasm Tilting At Windmills on Genghis Khan. The shattering of her sword emitted a devastating shock wave which broke the windows of buildings nearby. Many of the Mongolian warriors fell off the horses before the surge of energy and took a while to regain their footing. Genghis Khan felt himself driven into the ground by a crushing force that rivalled his Sole Ruler Of The Plains. The ground cracked and heaved, giving way beneath him. The breaking of the Noble Phantasm Tilting At Windmills also forced the Dragon to attack Genghis Khan. A blast of molten iron damaged his armour, melting away some of the mana that supplied Man Of Iron. It would never fully deactivate his invulnerability, as Man Of Iron ranked higher. Genghis Khan continued to be hit by searing torrents of metal, struggling to match up to Don Quixote as fiery sprays fizzled his armour. The Dragon continued to attack its owner, the potent redirection of the Broken Phantasm continuing to transfix it. Genghis Khan found himself stalled, forced to deactivate the Dragon.

Don Quixote punched him again, swiping at his face with gauntleted fists. He caught the fist, only for Don Quixote to resist with strained kicks, growling in defiance. Genghis Khan roared back, silencing her, and stabbed her in the chest, twisting the blade.

She finally relented. Her tirade of attacks bought her allies all the time they needed. Genghis Khan panted with exhaustion, his army disorganized and his Master wounded.

"Her chest pouring blood, this knight is not yet finished," narrated Sancho.

Don Quixote pulled the scimitar from her chest, and picked up Gordafarid before leaped away. As she did, Sancho and Roccinante charged at Genghis Khan, giving their lives to let them escape

Genghis Khan stared at her escaping foe in blank shock. He destroyed her heart with his last attack. Moving should be impossible for her, and yet Don Quixote fled with considerable speed.

Seeking to pursue her, he rounded his forces up and directed them to return to the church. It took a while to reorganize everyone. As they did, someone emerged from the rubble. She waited all this time for a window to escape.

Isilda slipped away unbeknownst to everyone. Miraculously, Genghis Khan and the others did not notice her, too busy with regrouping, and she slipped into the darkness.

Don Quixote used the last of her strength to get to Helsinki Old Church. Gordafarid's eyes were slits, and she whispered in astonishment at her resilience. With her hand, she gave her some mana to continue onward.

Don Quixote crashed into the ground several hundred meters from Helsinki Old Church. Aasaa and the others dashed to her, awed at her miraculous survival. She laid Gordafarid before them, her body almost transparent now. She faded for most of the journey. Her Mad Enhancement gone since she lost all her mana and power. In her last moments, she could speak again. As Misa approached her dying Servant, she smiled at her. "Misa, take my advice and live for a long, long time. Because the maddest thing one can do is die."

"No Don, don't go! You can't go, you're my hero. Florence, save her!" Misa grabbed her frantically, trying to soothe her countless wounds, hugging her as tears streamed down her face.

"I can't. Her heart is destroyed and her mana is seconds from disappearing." Florence Nightingale gave Don Quixote a potent painkiller to ease her pain in her last moments.

"Thank you Misa, thank you everyone, for giving me the adventure of a lifetime and a death worthy of a knight. I will always remember you." Don Quixote disappeared into fading glitter and light.

Misa knelt before where her Servant once stood. Her eyes brimmed with tears. She closed them, causing the tears to flow down her rosy cheeks. Florence Nightingale rushed to Gordafarid's side, hard at work treating her. She put aside all emotions to tend to the wounded.

Aasaa walked up to Misa, and placed his hand on her shoulder. He whispered Don Quixote's name to himself. She lived and died a hero, but above that, she was a great friend to Misa. He vowed to remember her, to learn from her actions moving forward. To him, it honoured her legacy.

His eyes became misty as Misa commented on how close they were and how much she loved their time together. The two of them were inseparable, and to him probably had the closest Master-Servant relationship in the group. He found this remarkable, given that their communication was mostly one-way from Don Quixote's inability to speak. Moved, Aasaa gave a short eulogy.

"Don Quixote exemplified knightly virtues and possessed a kind heart, despite being nothing more than a commoner. She stands as proof that anyone can rise to their calling and accomplish good in this world. May she rest, even as her deeds of valour live on in our hearts."

Gordafarid finally got up, she too mourned the fallen Don Quixote, for she owed him her life.

"Farewell, Don Quixote of La Mancha," said Aasaa as they all grouped together. "May your chivalry never die."


	35. Chapter 35

**Chapter 35: Liberation **

**(Day 7 of the 6th Grail War)**

Aasaa and his team crept up on Helsinki Old Church. Genghis Khan and Fezgrem had not yet returned. Before them lay the opportune moment to strike. Gordafarid took the front, with Hou Yi behind her. With his arrows, he demolished the entrance of the Old Church. Inside, Hannes and Simo Häyhä turned towards the intrusion, as the bricks gave way to reveal Aasaa and the others.

"You guys are so screwed," Hannes shouted despite with wounds, his pained face managing to smile. The Mongolian warriors were not pleased, and readied their weapons to face the newcomers.

Simo Häyhä cut his Master free when Muqali's blade drove its way through his back.

The White Death pulled himself from the scimitar, and whipped out his combat knife, ready to face him.

They paced around, weapons at the ready, re-positioning and adjusting their stances, eyes trained on the other's movements. The surrounding air grew stiff with the pressure of battle.

Meanwhile, the others fought their way through the Mongolian warriors. They defeated the first wave. Then came a line of Mongolian archers, bows drawn. Gordafarid defended everyone behind her from the arrows, while Florence Nightingale bombed the row of Mongolian archers from behind with grenades.

Aasaa helped Hannes to his feet.

"I'm so sorry Hannes. I should've trusted you. After this I'm-"

"Now is not the time Aasaa, get ready to fight," Hannes hugged Aasaa briskly. Aasaa handed him a pistol, a spare from Simo Häyhä. They exchanged a look of understanding, and prepared to join the fight.

"Flail Of God!" Genghis Khan said from outside.

The church descended upon them in a shower of rubble. Hannes jumped over Aasaa as tons of debris and rock fell over them. Hou Yi pushed Misa and Shiori to safety, while Gordafarid and Florence Nightingale were caught in the collapse. When the dust settled, Aasaa managed to wriggle his way free. Hannes put himself above him, shielding him from the rubble with his body. Aasaa found Hannes body, slumped over to the right beside him.

"Hannes! Hannes! Wake up. Please, get up." Aasaa jerked Hannes body, shaking it. Hannes was covered in dust, blood coming from numerous wounds sustained from the falling rubble. He lay motionless. "No, don't die now," Aasaa continued. He continued trying wake Hannes who did not respond. "Hannes, we need to go, Genghis Khan is here."

Silence. Not even the sound of breathing. Aasaa checked Hannes' pulse, trying several times just to be sure. Silence. He knelt beside Hannes' body, on the verge of tears.

Genghis Khan stood tall, surveying the rubble. He turned his attention to Hou Yi, Misa and Shiori, who were not caught in the collapse. Gordafarid was the first to emerge. A lion eager for battle, she told Hoy Yi to run with them as she dashed at Genghis Khan, her scimitar and lance rushing furiously at him. Genghis Khan parried, then raised his fist to swipe at her. She ducked beneath, and used her lance to stab at Genghis Khan's outstretched arm, still in mid-swing. She managed to knock Genghis Khan's arm aside, though her attack dealt no damage.

His momentum disrupted, he ordered his horse to trample at her with its hooves, forcing her to disengage by leaping backwards. Behind her, Florence Nightingale, hair covered in dust. She raised her weapons and unleashed a salvo of pistol fire at Genghis Khan who cackled as the bullets bounced off his body, no more harmful than specks of dust. Surging with power, he charged at them ready to strike. Bracing themselves for the impending threat, Florence Nightingale blessed Gordafarid with Angel's Cry, allowing her to fight him on equal ground. They had no way of harming him, and the activation of Sole Ruler Of The Plains forced them on the defensive. Hou Yi already fled the scene with Misa and Shiori.

Simo Häyhä used the confusion caused by the collapse to activate his Presence Concealment. He got behind Muqali and ran him through with his combat knife. The knife cut deep, and Muqali coughed out blood, bellowing in agony as his legs shuddered. He tried to grab at Simo Häyhä who then backed away. Now at a suitable range, he raised his submachine gun and unleashed a hail of gunfire. The Mongolian general gave way, his body littered with lead-filled rain, and disappeared into mana. After disposing of the Mongolian General, he found Aasaa crying before Hannes' corpse. The sight of his dead Master shook him. In the chaos, he had not felt Hannes' connection leave him. Approaching the corpse of his long-time friend, Simo Häyhä took a deep breath and shackled his emotions, so he could function in battle. He trembled, though a soldier-like discipline followed, and he steadied himself.

Placing a hand on Aasaa's shoulder, he instructed him to get out as the others occupied Genghis Khan. His chest boiling with rage, Simo Häyhä turned invisible and cut through any surviving Mongolian warriors. The way into the catacombs was now clear. Beneath him lay the broken Sircolia, now a mana-battery for Fezgrem's forces.

His face wrought with grief, Simo Häyhä entered the catacombs and approached the one who brought the Grail War to his country's capital. It was time for him to pay the price. Sircolia lay in chains, badly beaten. His eyes pierced, his flayed skin covered in dried blood. He whispered incoherent ravings, unbeknownst to the knife approaching his throat.

Simo Häyhä emerged from the catacombs, knife dripping with blood. Gordafarid and Florence Nightingale still battled Genghis Khan. They fought on, though they showed signs of weariness. Keeping his knife, he told Aasaa what he did, and instructed him to escape with Hannes' body from here. Aasaa complied.

Simo Häyhä shed a single tear as he took one last look at Hannes, touching his forehead, and stroking his blood-stained silver hair. He got to his feet and said, "White Death."

Snow descended upon Genghis Khan as everyone made their escape, their feet crunching on the snow, which was building in depth as the blizzard grew in severity. Genghis Khan halted, and prepared his Flail Of God to destroy the Noble Phantasm. Simo Häyhä ran as well, for it would be a matter of time before the storm cleared. The snowstorm faded before Genghis Khan's Noble Phantasm, revealing that everyone already fled. Once again, they slipped away, after tearing up his base of operations. He yearned to crush them for their brazen insolence. With a string of curses, Genghis Khan kicked the rubble to vent his anger.

Fezgrem arrived, his movements sluggish as he walked unsteadily. He was bandaged up, in no position to be on any battlefield. "What happened to my church?"

"The enemy demolished it. Fear not. My scouts have informed me of a forest near the outskirts of Helsinki. We can move there and re-establish our forces."

Fezgrem accepted the proposal. "Prepare to move Sircolia, we need his mana to rebuild."

"Also, your two Servants are gone."

"I still have Simo Häyhä's command seal. I will save it for now," Fezgrem reminded as he walked into the catacombs only to scream with rage when he found Sircolia's corpse. He had lost his mana battery.

Aasaa and the others made their way to a forested area, settling to rest in a secluded clearing.

"Hannes is dead." Aasaa managed to say, panting. "We must give him a proper funeral." He placed Hannes body at the foot of a silver birch tree, and knelt before it, reflecting.

Simo Häyhä volunteered to go first. He put down his rifle, and removed the hood of his parka. Gently, his mouth began to move, quivering to the rhythm of a Finnish folk song. Shiori joined him, recognizing the song, her lips already following the tune. They sang an old Finnish hymn for funerals. She knew its content, and sang it in English for the others.

(Translated to English)

_Here under the North Star is our homeland now. _

_But there, beyond the stars, we will get another home. _

_Here, like a flower, we have a short time. _

_There the joy is endless like for angels. _

_Here the heart sighs and eyes are filled with tears. _

_There, the heart is happy and the eyes are showing the joy. _

_On the wings of hope fly over there, my little heart. _

_Because there is my homeland and I want to go there. _

They buried Hannes under the silver birch. The national tree of Finland. Aasaa carved a short message on the bark of the tree, said his last words to his friend and joined the others. "Protector, Guide and Friend, may your wisdom live on in us all."


	36. Chapter 36

**Chapter 36: Another Farewell **

**(Day 7 of the 6th Grail War)**

At around mid-afternoon, Simo Häyhä gathered everyone, before he said, "I'm sorry everyone, but this is where we part."

"Why? Can we do anything to help?" Aasaa asked.

"Fezgrem still has one command seal for me. I am a threat to everyone as long as I am here."

The Servants understood immediately. They raised their hands forward to bid him farewell, and wished him safety.

"Goodbye Simuna," said Hou Yi. "Keep at what you do best, just don't surpass me." The two of them chuckled.

"You remind me of someone from the war. Complete joker, and a true friend. I won't forget you for sure."

Hou Yi patted Simo Häyhä on the back and wished him the best of luck. Florence Nightingale was next. She called him a brave soldier when they bid farewell. Simo Häyhä admired her for saving so many soldiers in her life. He now turned to Aasaa.

"Go and take the fight to him in your own way," Aasaa said.

"Yes Sir, with pleasure," Simo Häyhä said, giving him a salute. "We fought well together, but we must part now. I hope we will see each other again." He departed after placing an old map of Helsinki with instructions in Aasaa's hands.

Aasaa unfurled it and studied the instructions leading to an island off Helsinki's coast. Suomenlinna Fortress. "Everyone, rest well. We leave for Suomenlinna this evening, 8pm. I want everyone back here by then. You can venture around as long as you are accompanied by a Servant."

"Are we safe, what if Genghis Khan shows up?" Shiori asked.

"We will be fine. Fezgrem is badly wounded," Gordafarid said.

"He just lost his entire headquarters," Aasaa added on.

"I'm sure Don wore him out. He won't be ready for a full engagement just yet." Misa paused, now reminded of Don Quixote's death. Tears formed, and she ran about a dozen paces from them to release her emotions. Aasaa's heart went out to her. He wanted her to recover from this as quickly as possible. However, her grief was only natural, and should be allowed to run its course. He found it touching, how close the two were. Her grief honoured the strength of their bond.

Aasaa came up with the perfect way to honour Don Quixote. He told Hou Yi to come with him, and follow him deeper into the forest. Before he could proceed, Shiori and Florence Nightingale approached him, asking for permission to go into the city. Evaluating the risks, he allowed them, as long as they avoided bringing attention to themselves. He arrived at this decision because everyone needed a much-deserved breather.

He walked into the woods and recalled the appearance of her sword, all its fine details. He knew this would not be perfect, as he did not have the actual sword to observe, though he had seen it enough times to have a fairly good idea. In truth, his Trace On Projection varied from Shirou's. The original Trace On Projection was done within the Unlimited Blade Works. Aasaa did not possess the skill to reach that level, and thus could not access Unlimited Blade Works. To compensate, he substituted gaps in knowledge regarding the weapon he wanted to project with logic and imagination. This gave a substandard result, but had the advantage of not necessarily requiring the physical item to observe. He took pride in his own variant, which was the middle ground between standard projections and his father's perfect replicas.

"Trace On."

Aasaa activated his circuits. His determination to perform this projection unleashed a torrent of mana.

"Judging the concept of creation."

Don Quixote. Pretended to be a knight. Forged her own sword. Not the best craftsmanship, but her passion and perseverance made up for it.

"Hypothesizing the basic structure."

Length, over a meter. Heavy. Balance a little off to the left, though overcome with practice.

"Duplicating the composition material."

Made of stainless steel, tempered to become solid. A jewel embedded in its pommel and guard. Guard elaborate, yet practical. Also made of stainless steel.

"Imitating the skill of its making."

The key ingredient was passion and perseverance. Actual craftsmanship mediocre. Nevertheless, she forged a powerful sword. Rushed making, due to anticipation.

"Sympathizing with the experience of its growth."

Used for over a decade on Don Quixote's many travels. She gained mastery over it early into the journey, overcoming the flaws in its creation by adapting her fighting style. Better swords presented themselves, but she stuck by this one.

"Reproducing the accumulated years."

Despite being worn from over a decade of use, it was relatively well-preserved due to how much care she took to clean, polish and repair it. She treasured it greatly.

"Excelling every manufacturing process."

Aasaa condensed all the knowledge he managed to glean from the weapon, using his logic and imagination based on what he knew and how he observed Don Quixote behave. A replica of Don Quixote's blade, now rested in his hands. It felt awkward to him, though he attributed it to its weight as a two handed sword. Satisfied with his creation, Aasaa raised it into the light, impressed by the magnificent sheen of the fresh steel he fashioned.

"That's a good sword Master," Hou Yi said from behind. "Keep copying us Servants, soon you can be all Classes at once."

"Very funny Hou Yi. Now, do you think she will like it?"

"A Servant's Noble Phantasm tells their story, holding untold power, and the core of their heroic beliefs. In other words, she better be honoured to hold it." Hou Yi's voice carried an air of reverence as he spoke.

Aasaa thanked his Servant and returned to Misa's location. She sat under a tree, telling Gordafarid a funny story about Don Quixote's tales. He presented her with his version of Don Quixote's sword. Using both hands, he displayed its polished edges and reinforced material

_I hope she likes it, I tried my best with the limited information available. _

Misa picked it with both hands, struggling to lift the heavy sword. Despite encountering difficulty, she liked it, and swung it, unsteadily at first, though she swore to master it. Aasaa let Gordafarid supervise her, smiling as she now executed a horizontal slash with more finesse. It must have been a fluke, for she just received the weapon, and yet she performed an acceptable cut. He took a break under a tree, nestling at the base of its roots, on top of a soft pile of leaves.

He closed his eyes in deep reflection. A lump gathered in his throat as he mourned for Hannes, his dear partner and friend. He died to save his life, despite their last few interactions being rocky due to their disagreements over Fezgrem's trustworthiness. Aasaa sorely underestimated his wisdom, and made too many assumptions. He let his confidence get the better of him. His death only reinforced to Aasaa to be more careful and composed in the future, as he now led the group. The did not believe himself ready, and yet they followed him. Their safety depended on his decision-making, as he needed to learn from his experiences to improve himself.

Shiori and Florence Nightingale walked around the Senate Square, sipping on coffee. They toured the city for most of the afternoon. During mid-autumn, the sun set by 5pm. Now under the cover of partial darkness, they listened to the carillon music played there daily at 5:49pm. Florence Nightingale wore civilian clothes, as her usual outfit would draw undue attention. She listened intently as Shiori took the time to explain to her the history behind Emperor Alexander II, whose statue overlooked the square.

Afterwards, Florence Nightingale asked her to bring her to a hospital, so she could see how healthcare has evolved since her time. Shiori agreed and they went on their way. Now at the hospital, the two of them stared at a television mounted on the wall, flashing panels of quotes by famous people related to healthcare. Florence Nightingale found an image of herself, her quote _"Were there none who were discontented with what they have, the world would never reach anything better"_ beside it. Shiori turned to her, silent with fascination. They exchanged smiles.

"I'm glad my efforts have paid off," she said, satisfied with what she has seen.

"Your quote, it makes me inspired to fight to end the Grail War," said Shiori.

"For the betterment of others," completed Florence Nightingale.

"Indeed."

A nurse rushed past them with grave urgency. Shiori realized there must be an emergency of some sort.

"It seems bad." Florence Nightingale followed the nurse, entering spirit form.

"Wait, I'm sure they have it under control, I don't even work in this hospital, I couldn't bring you to mine, or we'll be recognized," Shiori said.

"Correct, that's why I'm in my spirit form. I will save him."

"No, that was not what I- Hey! Are you listening?" Shiori called as her Servant wandered off. No one noticed Florence Nightingale vanish, but a few people looked up to see Shiori shouting at nothing. She blushed and shifted away.

Florence Nightingale found her way into the emergency room. Staying in spirit form, she watched as the hospital staff rushed to treat dozens of patients, some of them in critical condition. It was a frenzy of movement, as instructions were relayed back and forth, saturating the air with urgency. She noted how the brave hospital staff worked tirelessly to fulfil their duties, glad they were working so hard to save the wounded, and yet the scene before her struck too close to home, as memories from Crimea resurfaced. Scenes of her making her rounds in the makeshift hospitals at night with a lamp played in her head. The overcrowded conditions, the endless suffering. Brought back to that moment, she remembered how a soldier she treated said, "I saw an angel."

Florence Nightingale snapped out of her flashback, back to the situation in the emergency room. She could sense the pain of the dying and the relief of the recovering. She longed to see them all saved. The rush of emotions empowered her, persuading her to materialize in the middle of the room. Her civilian clothes were replaced with her attire in the Crimean War, lamp in hand and healthcare equipment by her side. No one noticed her initially, as everyone there frantically attended to the patients. It was only when a patient with bandages over his arm and face called out, finger raised at her, did people become aware.

"I see an angel!" cried the patient.

Some staff attended to him, checking for hallucinations, before one of them gasped upon seeing Florence Nightingale standing before them. They did not recognize her, finding her attire foreign due to the differences between their eras. They notice her lamp, and one of them cried out in shock. "It's Florence Nightingale, she has a lamp, it's the Lady with the Lamp. It can't be, she has been dead for over two centuries!"

"I am Florence Nightingale." She raised her lamp.

"Impossible!"

"This is a miracle."

"Has an angel arrived?"

Determined to show them, Florence Nightingale gathered her power, overloading her ability, Nurse of Steel, which normally only healed one person. It radiated healing energy throughout the building. She raised her lamp, now glowing with burning intensity. She healed every patient's ailment. They were all cured by her miraculous power. The patients all around touched their wounds. They tore open their bandages only to see new skin and flesh under it. Their bleeding stopped. Their organs restored. Pain and weakness were nothing but distant memories. The healthcare staff and the patients could not comprehend what they saw. Their breaths were taken away by what seemed to be divine intervention. Soon, Florence Nightingale was surrounded by voices of praise and gratitude. She disappeared as mysteriously as she appeared, returning to Shiori, satisfied with her deeds. "I just healed everyone in this hospital. Alas, it is only a drop in an ocean of patients."

"I-I can't believe it. You must have saved hundreds of lives tonight. I mean I believe you can do that since I know your abilities, but I-" Shiori said, starstruck.

"I know what you mean." Florence Nightingale smiled, placing her hand on Shiori's shoulder to calm her.

"That was amazing, though I suppose you don't want me to praise you since it is the expected duty of a nurse." Shiori fidgeted with her fingers

"It's okay, come, we can return, knowing the world is ever so slightly better off now."

"I'm so useless," Shiori said.

"You granted me the mana to perform that miracle."

"Yea, but it's not the same. I don't count it as me saving lives."

"Come on now, you are a hero in your own right, you are risking your life to fighting to end the Grail War," Florence Nightingale looked into Shiori's eyes. They twitched with the frustration of inadequacy.

"Yea, I guess. Come, let's head back. This will be on the news for sure. 'I saw an angel', I can already hear the headlines going." Shiori imitated a soldier's voice.

Florence Nightingale chuckled, sensing her intentions. "We make a great team you and I. I want to keep saving lives until the end of time."

Shiori smiled in agreement. "I will stand with you to the end."


	37. Chapter 37

**Chapter 37: To Suomenlinna Fortress**

**(Day 7 of the 6th Grail War) **

"We'll head towards Market Square from here, and then take a ferry to Suomenlinna. It's an island off the coast of Helsinki," Aasaa scanned the instructions once more just to be sure, before leading the way. Their trod on the icy ground as they went. No one pursued them, yet they hastened their steps, and huddled in a group.

The ferry cruised along the icy waters, the sea spray washed up the edges of the boat and onto the deck. Above the black waters floated a layer of cracked ice, the winds chilled below zero, bringing the salty crisp air into Aasaa's lungs. Aasaa observed the lights from Helsinki's coast, watching them fade as the distance from them grew. He bid farewell to a city they now had to flee from. Genghis Khan had driven them from the turf, destroyed their home, and pushed them into the sea. He effectively won for now, the city now his playground. They approached the last refuge, a ghost from Hannes' past. The forlorn fortress of Suomenlinna. Aasaa did not know what to expect. He hoped whatever they found in its dark halls would aid them.

Shiori walked out to join him, wearing a jacket and holding two cans of coffee.

"Where did you find that?" Aasaa asked.

"The coffee? From the vending machine."

"No, the jacket."

"Its one of Florence's, a spare." She turned around to show off the back of the jacket to him.

"Looks nice, is it warmer than my trench-coat?"

"Yep. It does the trick. I'm not the slightest bit cold," she continued.

"I expected you to generate heat from your mana to stay warm." Aasaa tried to tighten his trench-coat further, and folded his arms.

"Sheesh, gimme a break from mage-craft. This is comfortable and easier for me."

"Fine," said Aasaa as he opened the can and took a long sip. From the corner of his eye, he saw Shiori take out yet another can of coffee from her jacket's pocket. He stared at her in fake exasperation. She fished one more from another pocket.

"What?" Shiori asked before giggling.

They finished their coffee Aasaa's thoughts wandered off, as he stared at the diminishing city lights along the coast. Shiori's hair fluttered in the whispering winds, partially obscuring his vision. The hair left his view, and something soft, warm and furry pressed against him.

"I thought you weren't cold." Aasaa smiled as she nestled in.

"Well I am now, let me rest here." She curled up, her hands tucked into her jacket's pockets.

Aasaa chuckled as Shiori's head rested on his shoulder. A fire orb formed on the table, its orange flickers calming Aasaa. The wind died down, and Shiori's snores became audible. Aasaa resisted scratching an itch, afraid to wake her. He wondered how someone who had just consumed several cans of coffee to drift asleep so easily. Remaining motionless, he watched the dancing flame hoping for answers. They yielded none, though his itch died down, and he too fell under the drowsy spell.

"Alright brave souls, the shore is calling us," Misa called as she walked to the deck. "We're here." She could not help but giggle excitedly at the two of them, sleeping in a heap. Hou Yi stood behind her, satisfaction twisting his face into a wholesome smile.

Aasaa and the others alighted and followed the instructions left by Simo Häyhä. They arrived at around 10pm. They found a small cliff-side on the shore of the main island, as described in the instructions. Aasaa approached it and tried to read out the incantation provided on the instructions. He spoke gibberish, mispronouncing most of the Finnish words.

"Shiori, I think I need your help." Aasaa turned to her, his hand scratching his head as he looked at the code and conceded he had no hope of pronouncing it.

"Let me see." Her cold yet lively hands plucked the instructions from him. After she read it out, a door formed for them.

"Wow," says Misa. "No one will find us now."

"This is a fortress." Hou Yi scanned the interior of the place. "Hannes kept his secrets."

The hallways stretched farther than their eyes could see. It connected to numerous spacious rooms, all tiled white. The lighting systems, ventilation systems, heaters and air-conditioning units were in severe disrepair. Only the magic wards remained functional.

"Alright, we need to clean this place, and set up our things. It's almost midnight already," Aasaa inspected the rooms. Dusty yet surprisingly well-equipped. The furniture remained in decent condition, the cause being Multi-layered Reinforcement magic.

"I will try to get the electrical systems up tomorrow. For now, Misa will provide light for us." Aasaa flicked a defunct light switch, as if needing confirmation that a light that had not seen maintenance for over 3 decades was indeed broken.

"No problem. My light orbs are easy enough to mass-produce." Her hands glowed with light magic, eager to contribute.

Gordafarid found a room for herself and stayed there. Aasaa took another room with Hou Yi, while Shiori, Misa and Florence Nightingale occupied a third one. Each room could house up to 6 people. These were once the living quarters of Hannes' associates before they moved to Helsinki Old Church.

Aasaa saw an abandoned name tag on one of the beds in his room. His fingers held it, trembling. A tear rolled down his cheek as he now gripped it. Within his fingers, rested the tag with a name "Hannes Ludvik." Living up to his belief that his associates were family, he slept on the same type of bed as his men. Aasaa could not see any indication of hierarchy. Hannes' bed resembled the others.

With the preparations done, the team decided to retire for the night. Aasaa and Shiori called the Clocktower to speak to Shirou.

"Hey Dad, I called to check on Eijiro and Kaisu." A warm feeling bubbled in Aasaa, as he finally spoke to his parents again.

"Happy birthday Aasaa," Shirou said. "They're safe,"

"Thanks dad. Back to Shiori's parents, are they awake? Shiori wants to speak to them."

"Yea they are, I will get them to you."

Aasaa let Shiori speak to her parents. Afterwards, he took back the communicator to ask for updates on the situation at the Clocktower. By now, most of the conspirators had surrendered. The destruction in Helsinki differed from the other Grail Wars as it was quite public this time, and the Mage's Association struggled to cover it up. Many called for tighter regulation or the end to the Grail Wars as it risked exposing them. Shirou and Rin could be sent to Helsinki soon as part to contain the damage.

After ending the call, Shiori asked, "What will we do about Genghis Khan's invulnerability?"

"I have no clue. All we can do now is to control the damage."

"Wait, let me confirm, Servants need a Master to fuel them with mana, right?" Shiori turned to Aasaa.

"Yes, although some have what you would call Independent Action. It lets them perform tasks without a Master for a while, until their mana runs out," Aasaa explained.

"So, if we deprive Genghis Khan of a Master, even with Independent Action, he will lose eventually." Shiori peaked with excitement at the solution to defeating Genghis Khan.

"Well, it's rarely so easy. Smart idea though. He may have the time to forge a pact with a new Master, like we saw with Fezgrem. Accepting a new Master renews his mana to full each time. We could be left with a never-ending cycle."

Their conversation ended without further progress. Shiori challenged Aasaa to Servant Chess before they slept.

"You cheated, your Berserker was one square to the right." Shiori grabbed Aasaa's Berserker and shifted it back.

"Why would I? That's your job, cheater." Aasaa's hand held Shiori's already-captured Lancer, twirling it in his fingers.

"Are you saying I need to cheat because I'm bad and you're supposed to be a pro?" Shiori jokingly slammed her fist on the table, the pieces shaking in their positions.

"Not starting anything but I'm losing at the moment," Aasaa shot Shiori a suspicious stare.

"Hence, you have motive for cheating. Gotcha!" She pointed at Aasaa.

"Hence, you probably cheated." Aasaa mimicked her movements. "Gotcha!"

Aasaa never felt so happy to deliberately throw a game of Servant Chess. Feeding Archer to Shiori's Caster gave him a rush of satisfaction. He then realized it came from her gleeful smile and vivacious movements as her fingers pushed the piece to capture his. The game ended in a draw.

"Come, shake hands," Shiori invited as Aasaa packed the pieces. "Good game."

Aasaa sensed the warmth in her hands. As they let go, he bid her goodnight. He did not realize that Shiori overheard Shirou mention Aasaa's birthday earlier.

Shiori returned to her bedroom, the lights turned off. She assumed the others were asleep.

"Surprise!" Misa ambushed her as she entered. Florence Nightingale tried to follow her, though her birthday greeting came out awkward.

"Woah, you almost gave me a heart attack." Shiori placed her palm on her chest.

"Well thank goodness we have the best nurse on the planet in the same room." Misa turned to Florence Nightingale who pointed at herself and smiled with dignity.

"Very funny." Shiori smiled at her Servant. "By the way, the time is 12:47 AM, and I just found out it's Aasaa's birthday."

"Wait what? Why didn't he tell us?" Misa reacted as if cheated out on vital information.

"I don't know, maybe he has been too stressed over the Grail War to care about it." Shiori shrugged at her.

"Yea, I guess. "Are we going to do anything for him?" Misa eagerly waited for Shiori to give the go ahead, so they could get started.

"We should." Shiori's voice wandered, as she began to think.

"But this place is terrible for a party." Misa gestured to the boring furniture, the plain tiles and the complete lack of anything more interesting than an old boot.

"I find the white walls most drab, let alone the dust," Florence Nightingale contributed.

"Why don't we bring him outside for a meal. There are a few restaurants on this island," Shiori suggested.

"Do we have enough money?" Misa wondered.

"Uhhh..."

"Don't look at me. I don't think Item Creation works like that."

"That would be counterfeiting. I don't want to go to jail for this." Shiori turned to Florence Nightingale.

"Maybe Hannes and his associates left behind some money in this place. We should go outside and check all the other rooms." Misa's eyes blinked awake. Her heart yearned for adventure.

"Shh, wait for Aasaa to sleep first." Shiori pushed her head down, muffling her excited voice as Aasaa walked past their room, down the corridor before returning to his room a few minutes later.

Two hours later, the three of them crept out of their room, and ventured deeper into the underground fortress.

"I suggest you start with the room labelled "Vault."" Florence Nightingale used her lamp to light up the dusty label on the door to a large room.

"Yea, but its locked." Shiori gave opening the door a try.

"I'm sure it's just jammed." Misa twisted the knob harder and shoved with formidable strength. The force generated was quite impressive for her small frame. Her strength had increased greatly, doubling from a day ago.

Florence Nightingale hid the fact she unlocked it with a spell, being the Caster Servant. The door creaked open. Inside held rows of weapons, freeze-dried food, books on magic spells, and a whole plethora of other items.

"It seems they planned to return to this place one day." Misa eyed the items stored within, all in good condition despite the fact it was abandoned for decades. "I wonder why?"

"I think if you take the time to consider the contents of the note on the wall-" Florence Nightingale raised her lamp to light up a sign. "You will know what transpired here."

_The underground fortress of Suomenlinna will be abandoned on the 26th of March 2016. The fortress Vault is to be preserved to one day serve as a back up if our new base of operations under Helsinki Old Church is ever compromised. _

"It even has an index for where things are located." Florence Nightingale ran her index finger along the chart looking for where the money was stored. She followed the chart and found it stored in a briefcase in the one of the shelves.

They opened it to find tens of thousands in Euros, though there were also US Dollars, British Pounds and Japanese Yen.

"There's your money," Misa could not take away her eyes from the wads of cash, her hands holding a bundle worth several hundred. "Now we can throw Aasaa the best birthday party ever."

"Wait, do we even know what he likes?" Florence Nightingale paused them.

Shiori's train of thought halted. Aasaa did so much for them. He knew what they liked, and made considerations to meet their needs. He fashioned for Misa his own interpretation of Don Quixote's sword, and trained Shiori in Magecraft. Yet, they have not taken the time to find out what he liked.

"He likes heroes and being good and stuff." Misa raised her index finger at that suggestion, sounding proud for arriving at what she believed to be the correct answer.

Shiori brought her hand to her face. "That's shallow, we have to think this through." She remembered how he would never take off his trench-coat, even sleeping in it each night.

The three of them closed the vault, and made their way back. Shiori heard air flowing into one of the other rooms, its door ajar. "Hey let's check this room out before we go."

"Hmm, alright." Misa followed her, carrying the briefcase.

Florence Nightingale lit her lamp to provide light for them. Misa distributed light orbs to everyone, though the underground fortress was still dimly lit overall. They entered a spacious office.

"Misa, what's that?" Shiori's eyes found a circular pattern of inscriptions.

"A summoning circle. Probably Simo Häyhä's." Her eyes widened upon realizing they stood before the place where the 6th Grail War began.

Florence Nightingale ran her fingers along the red powdery substance used to draw the summoning circle. A faint draft blew, kicking up dust, and causing their eyes to tear. Misa found a crate of ammunition with a bloody hand-print on it, and turned away in disgust.

"Yea, though I think we should be heading back now." Shiori told the others as she yawned.

"For someone who drinks that much coffee, you have no right to be sleepy." Misa poked Shiori's tummy with a finger of accusation.

"Sheesh, I can't even perform basic human processes with you around." She fluttered her tired eyes.

"Yup."

"No chocolate for you." Shiori snatched the bar from Misa's pocket.

"Nooooo. Give it back to me. Please!" Misa clawed at her, while Florence Nightingale effortlessly kept her at bay.

The three of them returned to their bedroom, and settled down before quickly falling asleep. They had a big day ahead of them.


	38. Chapter 38

**Chapter 38: An Unexpected Turn Of Events **

**(Day 8 of the 6th Grail War)**

"Good morning Aasaa," Shiori chirped, standing at his bedside.

"Wait, what are you doing here?" Aasaa stretched, opening his eyes and moving away the blanket to get up.

Shiori wore fancy clothes, a turquoise jacket over a white long-sleeved shirt and dark blue jeans. She also sported jewellery in the form of two twinkling ear-rings. Florence Nightingale helped her with some touches that required a little Item Creation. Correction. A lot of Item Creation.

"I'm bringing you out. It's your birthday today so don't argue." Shiori strained a little as she said this. The pre-planned script between her Misa and Florence Nightingale sounded unnatural.

Aasaa struggled to figure out how they knew, though he secretly hoped they would do something for him on his birthday. He got up to see Misa and Florence Nightingale in his room as well. They exchanged birthday greetings, Aasaa remained close to Shiori throughout. She tapped him on the back when he opened a birthday card. Aasaa smiled back as they hugged. Gordafarid and Hou Yi leaned against the wall at the other corner. She wore a party hat, which tilted to the right side of her head, looking huffed, annoyed with having to wear it. Hou Yi on the other hand could not contain his pride and happiness for Aasaa.

"Where did this come from?" Hou Yi folded his arms and speculated that Shiori's behaviour indicated more than just friendship. He whispered a suggestion into Misa's ears, causing her to giggle but ultimately deny the proposition. Hou Yi bought her agreement with the white chocolate bar Shiori had confiscated from her yesterday, having stolen it from a distracted Shiori who currently chatted with Aasaa.

"Where did you get these decorations?" Aasaa looked around the room to see balloons and confetti.

"Item Creation. We recycled some items found here to make them. Thank Florence Nightingale."

"There is something wrong about...wait, you sound really upbeat today." Aasaa scratched his head, examining Shiori closely to see if this was a prank.

"What's wrong, I'm just excited."

They walked out of the fortress, and into the light of the new day. Making their way to the tourist area, Aasaa and Shiori struck up a conversation on what the two of them did yesterday before the journey to Suomenlinna. Aasaa walked past a newspaper stand, and noticed the headlines "Ghost of Florence Nightingale spotted at a local hospital. Hundreds miraculously healed."

He chuckled as the realized what Shiori and Florence Nightingale did in their free time yesterday. "What else could I expect?"

"Hey, we were saving lives." Shiori pointed at him. "While you were copying weapons."

"That's good. You saved them all." Aasaa smiled. It warmed his heart to know that the two of them went out to save hundreds of lives.

They soon found themselves at a cafe on Suomenlinna Island. They left the gloomy underground fortress to explore the surface. The island turned out to be a tourist attraction and the outside offered plenty of shops and places to sight-see.

He took in his surroundings, seated on a cosy chair, enjoying the ambiance. Blackboards with chalk artwork lined the walls. Exposed segments of the walls turned out to be made of stone and brick, resembling a cellar. Aesthetic piles of firewood and picture frames gave a very warm touch to the whole place.

Shiori sat across from him, tense as she kept looking for Misa, was nowhere to be seen. For now, it was just the two of them.

Aasaa took shy glances at her.

_What is going on? Is this a date?_

He clutched his glass of water with a shaking hand. He took many short sips while Shiori studied the menu. A waiter came to take their order. Shiori ordered carbonara pasta and coffee for herself.

"Sir, what would you like to have?" The waiter asked Aasaa.

"Salmon and tagliatelle pasta with a Feta Cheese Salad." Aasaa held the menu up just to be sure he said that right.

"Oh and two bowls of smoked salmon soup for us," Shiori added.

"Thank you. Your food will be ready in about 15-20 minutes. And the coffee is free-flow, special offer for this weekend."

It dawned upon Aasaa why Shiori chose this cafe. The waiter confirmed the order. As he left, he tapped Aasaa lightly and asked, his voice a whisper, "first date?"

The question paralysed him. He expected the waiter to reveal himself as Hou Yi for a second. The question caused him to cringe over how awkward he felt, being her mentor. They had no time to consider romance while they fought a Grail War.

_Then again, that's how Mom and Dad met. Is it happening to me now?_

He would consider her a close friend, though he assured himself they had nothing romantic between them.

_Or is there? It seems she really wanted to bring me out to have a meal with her. _

Shiori worried about sending the wrong message by being alone with Aasaa. Misa should be with her, but she apparently vanished. She hoped she did not make him feel awkward, as she wanted him to enjoy his birthday lunch.

Back at the fortress, Florence Nightingale approached Misa. "Shouldn't you be with them?"

"Nah, I want to play a prank on Shiori." She shook her head with a cheeky grin.

"What?"

"Now Aasaa might think it's a date. What would happen if they fell in-"

"Unthinkable. You're coming with me." Florence Nightingale dragged Misa out of her seat.

Aasaa grew increasingly uneasy. Shiori had not started a conversation yet.

_This meant that she was being polite by waiting for me to speak first. _

"So Shiori, er...what makes you laugh the most?" He asked, trying to start a conversation.

"Heh, it's pretty funny, I feel guilty laughing sometimes because these things actually happened to people. I like to talk about hilarious medical cases."

"You have to tell me more."

"So you know, I've been a nurse for a few years, and there was this time when one guy had a light-bulb up his-"

"Up his what? Ass?"

"Yea basically." Shiori started to giggle as she recalled the event. They chatted further about several more funny stories, with Aasaa making animated reactions to Shiori's punchlines. It was now his turn.

"Well for me is a little self-deprecating but I find it hilarious to look back at my failed attempts at cooking."

Shiori leaned forward to listen.

"Tell me about one incident."

"So about two days before I came here, I helped my father boil udon..."

Aasaa described all his emotions and actions in vivid detail before pausing and cutting to the disaster on the floor. Shiori laughed at the sudden transition from his preparation to carry out the task to the disaster on the kitchen floor.

The food arrived, Aasaa and Shiori drank their smoked salmon soup at the same time. They took a while to get started, unsure who should take the first sip.

"Sheesh, there are so many potatoes in here."

"They should call it potato soup," Aasaa said. His comment elicited another jab of laughter from Shiori.

_You're doing good Aasaa, just keep making her laugh. She wants this right? She invited me to the date. _

They shared the feta salad that Aasaa ordered as it turned out to be a huge portion, enjoying themselves and making amazed reactions at its size and presentation. They did not notice when Misa and Florence Nightingale arrived at the window of the cafe.

"Look, they're fine. They're having a blast sharing their salad. We don't have to stop this," Misa said as she broke from Florence Nightingale's grip. The Servant pulled her by the scruff of her neck and reined her in. "I'm only putting off entering for now because they are in the midst of a rather interesting conversation."

"How would you know?" Misa tried to pull herself from her.

"Shiori is very engaged in it." Florence Nightingale moved Misa out of Aasaa's and Shiori's sight. She wore civilian clothes now. Florence Nightingale did not say then, though she could sense Shiori's joy from their connection with each other.

Aasaa offered to refill Shiori's coffee for her. He overdid the cream and sugar, even though he just needed to press a button on the coffee machine. Shiori found the sweetness and thickness a little off, though she did not mind.

They tucked into their respective entrées. Aasaa sat unsure if he should offer Shiori some of his food.

Shiori hailed the waiter to get them a dessert. She ordered one apple pie with a scoop of ice-cream.

_She wants to share the dessert with me. Err that means I should share some of my food with her. Right? Gosh I came to Helsinki so unprepared. I should have asked Dad about this. Or should it be Mom? _

Aasaa divided his food, creating a small portion and offered it to Shiori.

"You aren't hungry?" she eyed the piece of salmon he offered him.

They settled for an exchange of their food, and continued to talk. After a playful debate on which party benefited from the exchange more, Aasaa described the time he tried to cook a chicken in the microwave, a device Shirou insisted was safe, but Rin said ran on magic even she did not understand.

Shiori laughed when Aasaa explained how his mother did not understand technology, realizing Misa had the same issue.

"If you think that's funny, wait till I tell you about the Blu-Ray incident."

"Yes please, tell me everything."

"One night, when my Dad had to work overtime and needed my Mom to record a show he liked..."

Shiori could not stop laughing, only stopping momentarily to thank the waiter for the dessert. The waiter whispered to Aasaa, "you're doing good, son." Aasaa looked at him, weirded out by the statement. He knew what the two of them looked like, a young couple.

_Okay I have almost survived this. Come on Aasaa think of something else to say that's sparkling. _

Florence Nightingale was about to barge into the cafe with Misa in tow. However, watching Aasaa and Shiori having such a great time, she decided to abandon interrupting them to explain Misa's prank.

Shiori shared the dessert with Aasaa. In truth, she had underestimated the cost, only had enough for one dessert. Misa held onto most of the money, and she ditched her.

Aasaa checked his mouth and hands to see if they were dirty. He reviewed his table manners, ensuring they were impeccable though he worried if Shiori saw anything. She did not appear to think poorly of him. With the meal finished, they paid in cash and left. The staff wished them farewell, and hoped to see them again next time. Aasaa made sure to thank them all audibly so Shiori did not think of him as impolite.

Outside, Misa complain to Florence Nightingale.

"They had such a great meal. Come on let me buy myself something."

"No, for you stale white chocolate will suffice. We are going back to the fortress."

"Come on? Really?"

"Yes, really."

Aasaa and Shiori returned to fortress sometime after Misa and Florence Nightingale. Shiori held onto a package, a surprise for Aasaa tomorrow. It contained a new trench-coat though she wanted to add a final touch.

"Misa, where have you been?" Shiori asked. She waited for Aasaa to walk out of earshot before interrogating her.

"I...err...set you up?" Misa stammered before her, already shaken from Florence Nightingale's earlier wrath.

"You did what? You know Aasaa believed it was a date?" She pulled Misa by her collar, feigning confrontation.

"That's the point of a prank right?" She insisted, hoping to get out of this without being skinned.

"You silly little annoying best friend of mine. It was-"

"Yea, how did it go?" Misa asked Shiori.

"Actually quite well. I enjoyed myself, and Aasaa was super polite."

"No funny business I hope," Florence Nightingale said.

"No, no, h-he acted really cool with everything."

"That's good," Misa and Florence Nightingale said in unison.

"Now can I get real food? Please, Florence?" Misa begged.

Florence Nightingale shook her head, and shot her a piercing look as she folded her arms.

"Hou Yi did it. I give up, he told me to do it." Misa gripped her, almost begging for food now.

Florence Nightingale relaxed her stance against her upon hearing Hou Yi was behind it. "Fine. We go, but I'm following you."

"What? Why did you change your mind?"

"I want to try the ice-cream thing. I've never tasted it before." Florence Nightingale pulled Misa towards the entrance. "Before I beat Archer to a pulp."

While Aasaa's team enjoyed a brief respite in Suomenlinna, Fezgrem and Genghis Khan resided deep within Sipoonkorpi National Park. The Sun set, and in the cover of trees, a new army organized themselves. They also worked on repairs at Helsinki Old Church, which they converted into a satellite base, as the Greater Grail resided there.

"You understand I wish for world domination, correct?" Genghis Khan turned to Fezgrem, his voice serious.

Fezgrem sighed and answered him. "Yes. Here's where I wish to correct you. I want you to consider this. You can ask the Greater Grail for an alternate realm of existence. Travel there and rule that instead. Leave this world to me. I want to cleanse evil magi from this world, and let my society progress."

"Peasant, you wish to have me change my centuries old dream?" Genghis Khan hated such weakness from his inferior Master.

"Yes. For the safety of the good magi that deserve progress. I will do anything," Fezgrem said.

"I'll consider your proposal if you can lead me to find the rest of them within 3 days. I have grown impatient of this war."

"I will find them within 3 days. No betrayals," Fezgrem said.

"No betrayals," Genghis Khan replied.

Isilda followed Genghis Khan and Fezgrem's army all this while, maintaining her distance, remaining undetected.

She approached Genghis Khan and Fezgrem, hiding among the trees. She had overheard Genghis Khan's and Fezgrem's earlier exchange. While she eavesdropped, a Mongolian detachment caught her. She surrendered knowing she was surrounded.

"Great Khan, Master Fezgrem, we found this person lurking near our base," a Mongolian warrior said, presenting a subdued Isilda before them.

"What is this? Isilda, former Master of Avenger?" Genghis Khan said.

"I believe so," Fezgrem said. "Isilda, do you wish to join us, or die?"

"Genghis Khan. I propose to be your Master. Pact with me, and you get 3 command seals. I will let you have your desire for world domination."

Genghis Khan turned to Fezgrem. "Well?"

"No betrayals."

"Fair enough. Both of you fight it out. I will serve the worthier Master."

"I suppose I must fight for my right to command you, given the attractive offer Isilda has," said Fezgrem, rising from his seat.

Genghis Khan brought both magi to a forest clearing. "Fight here. No surrender, no fleeing into the forest," he said.

Isilda's blood-red pupils gleamed with malice. She had been on the back-foot for the entire Grail War, and she wanted to change that.

Fezgrem looked down on his opponent. He would crush her with ease.

Earth and stone rose from the ground, encasing Isilda's position. Fezgrem's fist glowed a dirty yellow. Isilda pulled herself in the nick of time using wires. She weaved a Wire Hawk and send it soaring after Fezgrem. It pecked at him, causing him to duck. It used its talons to scratch at his face, causing blood to ooze and slide down his cheek. Wincing in agony, he hurled rocks after the winged menace, which dodged every one of them.

"Curse you," Fezgrem yelled.

He sharpened more rocks from deep within the ground and sent them spiking out of the ground to impale Isilda. She created a giant Wire Hawk, and took off on it. She flew out of the way for the rocks, and took to the sky. The small Wire Hawk bound Fezgrem's limbs, incapacitating him. Fezgrem fought on. With a sharpened stone, he cut himself free. He fired a stone at the small Wire Hawk, before splitting the stone into many fine pebbles.

"Grapeshot!" He said as needle sharp fragments of rock perforated the small Wire Hawk, killing it.

Isilda ordered the large Wire Hawk she rode on to skewer Fezgrem. It flashed its talons, and cut through the ground, barely missing Fezgrem. Fezgrem impaled its wings with large spikes of stone and earth. He fired a rock at Isilda's head, knocking her off her damaged Wire Hawk. He declared himself victorious, as his rocks pinned Isilda down.

Isilda whistled and a Wire Hawk she prepared before initiating the duel swooped in and smashed her free. She tangled Fezgrem in wires, turning the tables in an instant.

"Genghis Khan, subdue her or I will command you to kill yourself." Fezgrem raised his hand with the command seal at him.

"Nonsense, what kind of-" Genghis Khan folded his arms.

"Do it!" Fezgrem's last command seal glowed. "You will die if you do not."

Genghis Khan rode ahead and struck Isilda down before shooting the Wire Hawk out of the air with his bow.

"You cheated! Genghis Khan, please..." Isilda brought her hand to shield her as Genghis Khan raised his scimitar.

"No surrender," Fezgrem said, moving in front of Genghis Khan to kill her with his mana dagger. He knelt down, revelling in his victory when a scimitar pierced through his lung.

Genghis Khan stabbed him from behind. Fezgrem coughed a geyser of blood from his mouth as he convulsed.

"What is this?" He clutched his sucking chest wound, hands covered in a steady stream of crimson.

"Isilda is a better Master than you. She won the duel," said Genghis Khan, using his foot to push Fezgrem's twisting body away from his scimitar as he pulled it out.

Genghis Khan helped Isilda up.

Isilda went up to Fezgrem who twitched on the ground.

"I..." Fezgrem choked. His eyes became bloodshot.

Genghis Khan pulled his head up to speak to him one last time.

"Traitors deserve the worst punishments. Not even family would be spared." He glared at him with utmost disgust as Fezgrem gasped for air, his lungs drowning in blood.

Isilda joined him, kneeling before Genghis Khan in thanks. He accepted her as his new Master.

"My Khan, may I kill him myself?"

"The first Master to acknowledge me as their Khan without ulterior motives. You are special." Genghis Khan cleared the way for her.

"No surrender." Isilda whispered into Fezgrem's ear as he dreaded his gruesome end. She ripped out his heart and offered its mana to Genghis Khan.

"Master, your orders?"

Isilda read Genghis Khan's face. She knew exactly what he wanted to hear.

"I let you decide. You are your own Master. One condition. No using Bloodless Victory. It is a double-edged sword." She raised her hand to show her command seals. " These are better used elsewhere."

"I will prepare for an attack. We will burn the entire city down to flush them out. Swarm them and we win. This Grail War has gone for long enough."

"I could not think of a better strategy. Proceed."

Genghis Khan went ahead to make preparations. For once, he carried out orders with a smile on his face. He found his chill.


	39. Chapter 39

**Chapter 39: Reinforcements **

**(Day 9 of the 6th Grail War) **

Simo Häyhä wandered the streets of Helsinki, feeling his pact with Fezgrem fade away. His time in this world grew now short. He decided to finally attend to the one thing the vowed to do before his Independent Action elapsed. He had kept his weapons, and changed out of his uniform. Walking around in civilian clothes, he tried to strike a conversation with someone. The man did not recognize him, and instead took a step back, appalled to see his disfigured left cheek. Simo Häyhä lost the will to speak at his reaction to him and the situation turned awkward. The man grew impatient, and walked off. Simo Häyhä lowered his head, discouraged by how their interaction turned out. He tried all morning to speak to someone and strike a conversation at least. Alas, everyone here was a stranger. He spent 34 years living among the Finnish as a silent protector from beyond the grave. He was literally dead to them, and could never experience the joy of talking to any of his people. He lamented, sitting on a bench in a park to consider his options, wondering if it was perhaps not meant to be, and he should return to the Grail War before he fades away.

Outside, on the damp shores of Suomenlinna, Aasaa and Hou Yi waited, the salty, cool air tossing their hair. The waves rolled towards the shore, foaming as they caressed the sand. A downpour last night left the sky painted grey. The morning of the ninth day dawned on them. Walking to a rock jutting out of the ground, Aasaa brushed away the dirt with his hand and sat down to wait. His parents called the previous night, saying that a last minute change in assignments, possibly influenced by Rin, meant they were now on their way to Helsinki. Aasaa gave them directions to Suomenlinna.

A small boat containing 2 people approached the shore. Aasaa eagerly awaited their arrival. A warm sensation travelled from his chest to his face, collecting in his eyes, making them warm and damp. 9 long days since the last saw them. "Father, mother," he called, getting up and jogging to the shoreline as the boat sailed within earshot.

Shirou and Rin looked in the direction of the voice, smiling at the sight of their son. Emotion overcame them as their fears melted away. Their son stood tall on the seashore, with his signature red trench coat fluttering in the sea breeze. They got off the boat, now on the shore. Aasaa gave them a rundown of the events so far, before being interrupted by Shirou and Rin hugging him dearly. His parents looked like they had not slept in days. The investigations and arrests at the Clocktower demanded every ounce of their attention and time.

Aasaa invited Shirou and Rin into the fortress. There, he introduced them to the remaining members of the team. At the sight of Misa, Shirou projected a sword and Rin readied Gandr. Aasaa stretched out his arms and stood between them and her.

"Misa Sajyou, member of Sircolia's inner circle. Wanted for assisting in the assassination of Lord El-Melloi The Second. That's her, Aasaa," Shirou said.

"I can explain." Aasaa shielded Misa and placed his palm forward to calm her parents.

Misa cowered behind him, fearing for her life. Shiori and the other Servants sprang to her defence.

"Now you don't want to do that." Hou Yi drew his bow. "You're not taking her."

"Hou Yi, stop aiming your bow at my parents." Aasaa cringed at his Servant's trigger-happiness. "Mom, Dad, Misa has been fighting on our side this whole time. Let me explain."

Shirou and Rin lowered their weapons apologized to everyone.

"Alright, so on Day 1, we brought Misa in for interrogation..." Aasaa explained.

Several hours passed by the time Aasaa explained every detail of the 6th Grail War to his parents. They now accepted Misa as an ally, though they said she would never be able to return to the Clocktower again. They could clear her name with a pardon, but for her safety, she should not return. House El-Melloi would most likely attempt to kill her in revenge.

"So where will I go?" Misa asked Shirou and Rin.

"That's up to you, if you survive the Grail War. You can travel to Fuyuki and start a new life I suppose," Shirou 's eyes fell upon the worried Misa, sympathy already welled in his heart.

"I'll think about it. Because I want to travel the world after the Grail War with some friends before settling down." Misa clung to her dream despite her dire situation, determined to fight for her survival and redemption.

"I see." Shirou found her passion endearing.

"Misa, I have something to tell you. What do you know of your Family's history?" Rin asked.

"I don't know. My parents died when I was young, and Sircolia recruited me. They got involved in some high-level stuff I never received the clearance to find out. Nobody considers me a true member of the Family because I didn't inherit the Crest."

Rin sighed, she struggled to find the willpower to break the news to her now. "Sircolia killed your parents with a curse. Same as the one used to kill Lord El-Melloi The Second." Rin dared not look at Misa in the eyes for she dreaded her impending outpouring of grief. "They were key opponents in his plan to restore the Grail Wars and almost blew his cover."

"Sircolia killed my parents?" Misa asked. She banged the table, distraught. The realization that Sircolia ruined her life to manipulate her pounded through her heart. All the suffering as an orphan. The shame of not having a Family Crest. How he led her astray and became one of his followers. All because of Sircolia. She began to ponder the life she could have led, if Sircolia had not interfered. Tears welled in her eyes, and streamed freely.

Aasaa remained silent in the face of this. He struggled to find an appropriate reaction. He saw Sircolia as an insidious disease who killed and destroyed wherever he went. In his rage and indignation at what Sircolia had done to Misa, he regretted not killing him himself.

Shiori entered the room seeing Misa in tears. She assumed Shirou and Rin were the culprits. That was true, though not in the way she thought. "Aasaa, what did they do to her?" She looked at them, eyes flashing with accusation.

Aasaa filled her in before comforting Misa, plastered herself to the table in a pool of tears.

"Oh, I see." Shiori sat down beside her friend, whispered something to soothe her.

Shirou and Rin were saddened by Misa's situation. Aasaa sat beside them and asked them, "How bad is it? Sircolia's crimes?"

"This barely scratches the surface. The whole Clocktower has been turned on its head. Things will never be the same again," Rin said.

"I feel terrible for her. She orphaned just like me. Instead of getting a loving adoptive father like I did, she got a monster who used her and then attempted to dispose of her." Shirou shook his head. He remembered the joy that washed over him when Kiritsugu pulled him from the rubble and later adopted him. Misa's situation seemed like hell in comparison.

"Misa is a good person. Friendly and kind. Her disposition is a miracle given her past," Aasaa commented.

"We should get to know her better," Rin said. "If we are to get her a pardon."

"Very well. What interests does she have Aasaa? Might help with easing the tension between her and us," Shirou asked his son.

"Sword-fighting, knightly values, adventure, friendship and white chocolate. The order varies." Aasaa shrugged at the list.

Shirou found it to be quite a pleasant mix. He and Rin engaged in a lengthy conversation with Misa, who took a liking for them, and started practising sword techniques with Shirou with Don Quixote's sword.

"I can detect a Servant's mana on her," said Rin, speaking to Aasaa.

"Can't be. Her Servant, Don Quixote, is long dead." He stared at her, puzzled.

"It is residual mana, an ability of some sort." Rin tried to recall what she knew of the Grail Wars. She suspected it was a Don Quixote's Personal Ability, but they would never know without the data sheet.

"What is it doing to her?" Aasaa asked, concerned if the mana caused negative effects.

"You should say "doing for her". The mana is strong, enhancing her physical strength. And that's not all. It's making her more courageous and predisposed towards chivalrous behaviour," Rin said, after analysing the residual mana further.

"Impressive. So she is essentially a knight?" Aasaa asked. The chivalric qualities of a knight aligned with his heroism.

"Yes. Her skin has also become very resilient to damage."

"I'll ask her if Don Quixote's data sheet had such an ability later," Aasaa said.

"Yea. Right now I'm just having fun watching Shirou train her. She is a fast learner." She smiled as Misa parried Shirou's attack, and countered with a sweeping uppercut that Shirou dodged, before seemingly teleporting behind her in a dizzying burst of speed. Misa conceded as her opponent found an opening and got ready to try again.

Aasaa noticed her tenacity and grit. She performed impossible feats for a supposed rookie in sword-fighting. "The residual mana?"

"Yep." Rin said.

Later, Aasaa left the room with Rin to find Shiori and the Servants.

He introduced her to each one of them. Rin exchanged respectful greetings with Florence Nightingale. Next, Aasaa introduced her to Hou Yi, her son's own Servant.

"Not bad for an Archer. Aasaa, does he listen to orders?"

Aasaa remembered how Rin's Archer in the Fifth Grail War was perhaps the most disobedient Servant to have ever existed. What made it hilarious was that said Archer in the Fifth Grail War turned out to be an older alternate version of Shirou himself.

"Yes, he does. We have executed quite a few successful operations together." Aasaa and Hou Yi high-fived each other. "He is powerful, and confident."

Hou Yi sighed in relief. He winked at Aasaa, thanking him for saying only the best parts about him. Hou Yi's hand reached behind his head, feeling a huge bruise Florence Nightingale gave him yesterday for his involvement in the prank.

"I wanted to meet Don Quixote. Believe it or not, the Clocktower took an interest in her for defeating Guy Fawkes, who caused tremendous harm to the city and risked exposing our society to the world."

"Don Quixote perished heroically against Genghis Khan. She saved Gordafarid in doing so." Aasaa paused as he finished, the memory of her death still stung.

"It's ironic that Misa is wanted by the Clocktower, and yet they found Don Quixote's actions to slay Guy Fawkes admirable. She saved us a lot of work by ending his destruction early," Rin continued. She could not stand the politics in the Clocktower, and hoped that this incident would change things.

Now, she spoke to Gordafarid. "Do you still want to fight in this Grail War?" Rin knew a Servant without a Master would vanish soon.

"Of course. I only desire ending Genghis Khan's reign of terror." She summoned her weapons and posed proudly before Rin, affirming her will to fight.

"Then do you wish to form a pact with me? I am the mother of Aasaa, your group leader." Rin offered, knowing that no cost could be spared in the battle against Genghis Khan.

"I accept. My best is still ahead of me," Gordafarid said with rising eagerness. She knelt before her new Master and pledged to fight for her till her last breath.

Command seals formed on Rin's hand. The rush of war flowed in her once more. This would be her second Grail War.

"Wait, mother, you can't fight. It's dangerous." Aasaa stared at the 3 red command seals, alarmed.

"I won the last Grail War. No one can tell me I can't. I gotta hold back, so I don't win again." Rin admired the command seals, more than ready to begin.

"Alright, can't argue with that," said Aasaa, returning to Hou Yi's side.

Shirou and Misa entered the room after finishing their practice, discussing various fighting techniques.

"Thanks, Aasaa for everything you've done for me. When I came to Helsinki, I hit rock bottom and you gave me hope. Your parents are the best." Misa rested her sword on the ground. Aasaa planned to project her a sheath for her sword later.

"Yea they are, thanks Mom and Dad," Aasaa said.

"My pleasure son, you are doing us proud every day by leading the Grail War effort." Shirou turned to address the rest of Aasaa's team. "I must say your team is better than whatever we pooled together in the 5th Grail War." Shirou turned to them, laughing as he saw Florence Nightingale gave Hou Yi an icy stare when he brought up the bruise on his head. It reminded him of all the little quarrels he had with his own members all those years ago.

"Don't listen to your Father, he likes to exaggerate," said Rin. Aasaa laughed, with Misa joining him shortly after.

Aasaa and Shiori went out to buy food for everyone's lunch. They shared another conversation on their way there.

"So, how are things with your parents?" Shiori asked as she and Aasaa wandered the streets above the underground fortress, looking for a place to buy food. She scanned the various shops, taking note of the large number of souvenirs on sale.

"We don't get much time together, but the time we have we spend it well," Aasaa replied, a particularly nice gift, a handbag sold by one of the shops caught his eye. The hasty thought of buying it for her entered his mind, though he dismissed it as soon as it came.

_We are not a couple, and I'll be damned if Hou Yi insists. Maybe after the Grail War but not now._

"About yesterday, did you really enjoy your birthday lunch?" Shiori asked.

"Well, we liked the food and atmosphere, and we had a great time together." He recalled the laughter and delicious food.

_Except for the potato soup._

"Err, how should I put it? Did you feel awkward with it just being the two of us?" Shiori asked. She cringed as she remembered how it felt like a date thanks to forces that operated behind the scenes.

"I have to admit I did. Was that not your plan though?" Aasaa could not wait to get to the bottom of this. He needed to know what really happened.

"No. We planned for Misa to join us, but apparently..."

"Yea?"

"Apparently she ditched us, so we would, in her own words, "go on a date." She wanted to prank us," Shiori blurted in admission. She cringed as Aasaa tried to reply, he too took a while to decide what to say.

"Ah, so that's what happened. So, just curious, as your "date," did I do anything wrong?" Aasaa tried to sound as cool about the incident as possible.

"No, you were pretty funny and kept things interesting." Shiori forced a smile, and made sure she sounded as positive as possible. She liked him though.

"Good to know. So nothing romantic between us then?" Aasaa wondered which answer he truly wanted.

Shiori gave the appropriate answer. Not a truthful one entirely, as she forced herself to ignore certain emotions which did exist, worried that Aasaa would react negatively to it.

"Not at the moment, though I wouldn't mind continuing our friendship after the Grail War and seeing where that leads," Shiori said.

"Alright. Because I hope you didn't find me creepy or something. I did enjoy our time together though." Aasaa too tried to answer appropriately.

"To me, there's nothing wrong with anything you did. Though, I have to know, did you want anything between us?" Shiori remembered their interactions, such as the time she nestled on him while they were on the ferry, it was a tangle to her.

"I don't want to say no, but I'm supposed to be your mentor and all, and with the Grail War going on, it got a little weird," Aasaa shrugged. It relieved him to know Shiori did not object to anything he did.

"I understand. I'm just glad you had a peaceful day to unwind. Misa and I really appreciate all you did for us, and we wanted to show our thanks."

"I will keep up the good work. Maybe I'll be rewarded with another outing, the three of us this time." Aasaa scratched his head and smiled.

Shiori smiled, and told him that the next treat would be even more elaborate. Aasaa asked if it involved both of them ditching instead of just Misa, which caused her to giggle.

They returned from their excursion. Shiori wanted to perfect her fire orbs before the next conflict, and Aasaa promised to complete her training. Entering the fortress, they were pleased to see it was in a much better state. For starters, it had proper lighting. Aasaa thanked Misa for that. While they were gone, she worked overtime to produce more light orbs to brighten place. Shirou and Rin were with her, guiding her along, helping her improve the efficiency of each orb.

"I'm glad you're getting along with my parents," Aasaa said to Misa, as he and Shiori put the food down. Hou Yi and Florence Nightingale appeared behind them. They had been in spirit form protecting their Masters from a distance during the short excursion.

"Yea, they have been helping me improve all day. Look, watch this." Misa focused on a new spell, forming a clone of herself beside her. It was made of light.

"What's this?"

"I can transfer my consciousness into this clone. As a being of light, I can travel through transparent or translucent objects, and can move at incredibly fast speeds." She stroked the face of her clone, and twirled its hair playfully. The clone reacted by smiling. It did not have the full range of actions yet as Misa's consciousness had not been transferred.

"For combat?" Aasaa asked.

"Yea, though my real body will be unconscious and vulnerable. Rin helped me perfect it earlier. Shirou insisted on doing the chores, with the Servants. They cleaned the whole area and repaired the broken stuff."

"So why haven't you used this spell before?"

"I could never get it right before today."

"With it, we'll win for sure," Aasaa encouraged her.

The entire group gathered for lunch a while later. Aasaa enjoyed a peaceful meal, surrounded by his friends. After fighting for days, he welcomed this with open arms. Unfortunately, his relaxation was short-lived.

"Say, the two of you have been with each other for most of the day. Is there anything, you know, between you?" Rin brought Aasaa to one side and whispered.

"No there isn't. Why does everyone keep pairing me up?" Aasaa said, flustered. He froze when he realized he spoke too loudly, and everyone picked up his embarrassing statement. Hou Yi grinned only to receive a pinch from Florence Nightingale.

Shirou found this to be hilarious, reminding him of his younger days. "Looks like you inherited my curse, Aasaa."

Rin made a disgusted expression and shook her head. Aasaa smiled awkwardly at everyone, trying to play it off as nothing. He looked to Shiori who forced a laugh to defuse the situation. Seeing his stress state, she grinned, and an idea occurred to her.

"What do you mean there's nothing between us?" she asked Aasaa, feigning being hurt.

"Shiori, what the?" Aasaa hoped she said it in jest. He recalled their earlier conversation, reassuring himself.

"Just kidding. Don't worry, Aasaa's parents, your son has been a real gentleman for the past 9 days." Shiori laughed it off, before resuming her lunch.

"Florence Nightingale, do you think you can use Item Creation to give them a king-sized bed?" Hou Yi asked. He prepared to receive the hardest punch in the jaw from Florence Nightingale.

It did not come. Florence Nightingale resumed eating, and started a conversation with Shiori, as if she heard nothing.


	40. Chapter 40

**Chapter 40: The People's Hero**

**(Day 9 of the 6th Grail War) **

"You, you look just like the Winter War sniper, Simo Häyhä." A middle-aged man approached Simo Häyhä as he rested on a bench. Simo Häyhä found a pleasant spot along a round path which surrounded a fountain. The man spoke with an educated tone, one belonging to a historian or at least an enthusiast. Simo Häyhä straightened his body and looked at him, taking his eyes off the enchanting flows of the fountain.

"Are you an actor? Is this a tourist attraction or something?" the man continued asking.

Simo Häyhä did not know how to respond, as he doubted any non-magus would believe him.

"You see here, me and my family just came from the Military Museum of Finland, and we saw pictures of you." The man produced a picture from his pocket.

"Yes, that's me." Simo Häyhä pointed at himself in the picture and nodded.

"You look just like the real thing, just not in uniform," he continued

"Thanks." He smiled, unsure of what to tell him. As he observed the man's interest, a thought occurred to him. This was his chance to realize what he wanted. Simo Häyhä summoned his uniform, ready to show everyone the genuine article. His uniform materialized, covering him in full white. The man was astonished to see the uniform appear before him, assuming it was some kind of special effect or a trick. "Look everyone, its Simo Häyhä, hero of the Winter War." The man waved his arms to beckon the others to come.

The park-goers turned around and noticed Simo Häyhä standing before them. His parka was accurate down to the individual strands of fabric. Amazed by the accuracy and attention to detail, they praised him for being such a good cosplayer. Soon, people began taking pictures of him, who now stood speechless before the shower of admiration. A smile formed across his face, as he welcomed them all. Gaining momentum, he offered pictures with people, and signed autographs. Some people asked him questions about the war, which he gave accurate answers to. They were impressed, and praised his ability to stay in character. Simo Häyhä found the whole affair quite humorous, considering this preferable to being mistaken for a ghost or a disfigured person.

"For an Assassin, you are really easy to find," Genghis Khan stood in the distance, mounted on his horse. He decided to hunt down Fezgrem's other Servant to remove any loose ends. Unlike before, he was here on his own volition. At long last, able to fight a battle he took ownership for, Genghis Khan bared his sword and his teeth, raring to go.

The people mistook him for another cosplayer, and moved towards him, cameras flashing away and notepads out to get his autograph. Simo Häyhä wondered if Genghis Khan even had a signature.

"Out of my way," Genghis Khan bellowed, raising his scimitar. The people thought that it was a well-made replica and began to take pictures of Genghis Khan. Simo Häyhä realized the danger they were in, and took out his rifle. He urged the people to move out of the way, and fired a warning shot at Genghis Khan, who used his scimitar to bat it out of the air, sparks coming from the scimitar. The people were silenced by the gunshot, before they resumed their applause, believing it to be an elaborate performance. More people arrived at the scene, determined to get a picture of the epic showdown between Simo Häyhä and Genghis Khan. Soon, a circle of curious onlookers and excited spectators surrounded the two Servants. They were now in a makeshift arena, the ground was mostly dirt, as the battle took place in a small patch of grassland in the park.

"Look, two cosplayers are performing for us. Finnish war hero Simo Häyhä versus world conqueror Genghis Khan!" Simo Häyhä heard an onlooker shout. More people cheered and called out. They were chanting Simo Häyhä's name as he was their national hero.

"I've never seen anything like this before. The wonders of technology for them to make it appear so lifelike," an elderly woman said.

"There must be professional makeup artists and costume designers working round the clock for these two. I bet they are actors," another man said.

Simo Häyhä decided not to bother explaining to them as he recognized the threat Genghis Khan posed. He kept Genghis Khan occupied in order to contain the damage.

Genghis Khan charged ahead, his horse kicking up a cloud of dust as he advanced. His scimitar connected with Simo Häyhä's rifle. Simo Häyhä dodged to the side and pulled out his combat knife. He made a side attack, forcing Genghis Khan to dodge. The onlookers continued to cheer, their eyes fixated on the vivid performance. Simo Häyhä disengaged, looking at all the people watching him.

He leaped to the other end of the makeshift arena and used his submachine gun to fire a spray of shots at Genghis Khan, careful to ensure the shots would not hit anyone else. Genghis Khan parried them all, with swift and skillful strokes of his scimitar. It flashed brightly in the Sun as it moved. One bullet found its way through. It connected, hitting Genghis Khan in the forehead. The bullet bounced off his head, dealing no damage to him. The bullet fragments scattered around the battlefield became sought after by the spectators as they wanted to keep a souvenir from this event.

"They're hot," Simo Häyhä warned a spectator not to touch the bullet on the ground. The boy backed off.

"He scored a head shot! Genghis Khan is no match for our national hero!" someone exclaimed in the crowd.

"Haha, it's just a performance, and Genghis Khan is still standing, perhaps you were mistaken," another person said as his eyes remained transfixed by the performance.

Simo Häyhä charged at Genghis Khan, submachine gun unleashing a torrent of lead at him. His Clairvoyance worked overtime to estimate the trajectories of the highly inaccurate burst fire, ensuring the only hit Genghis Khan, and not the innocent by-standers. Simo Häyhä's gun smoked with heat, its barrel turning red.

Genghis Khan ran into the storm of bullets, not bothered with evading them, for they did not harm him. Considering them mild annoyances, he placed his body right before Simo Häyhä's gun barrel. He blocked over 200 shots by now with Man Of Iron. Simo Häyhä dashed to the left, luring him to give chase. Genghis Khan followed, ready to use Sole Ruler Of The Plains to crush his foe. Simo Häyhä used his leg to trip his horse, and then butted Genghis Khan in the face with his rifle, knocking him off his horse in a cloud of dust. He coughed, as he got back on his feet. His face distorted, not due to the impact of a rifle butt on his face, but with rage, as he had been humiliated before the crowd.

The performers erupt in applause. Simo Häyhä could not believe it worked. As a Rider, Genghis Khan should have run him over. He suddenly became aware of a rising confidence and power as the onlookers cheered him on. He drew power from the people's admiration and praise, being a national hero of Finland.

"How dare you trip me? Stop dancing and fight!" Genghis Khan called out to his enemy.

"What would you do if I fought you in close quarters combat?" Simo Häyhä asked.

"Crush you to pieces."

"Then I'll stay over here."

Several "Oooooh"s came from the crowd, those who heard Simo Häyhä's wisecrack. Others said it they merely followed a script.

Genghis Khan switched to his recurve bow and unleash a string of piercing arrows at his foe. Simo Häyhä dodged them by moving irregularly to the right and left. He responded with several well-placed snipes, the bullets once again bouncing off Genghis Khan. He then closed the distance, pulled the recurve bow down, in an attempt to disarm Genghis Khan. Genghis Khan broke free from his grip, grabbed his face and threw him across the arena. Simo Häyhä landed in heap several meters away. He spat dirt from his mouth, gagging at the salty grains as they brushed his tongue.

The crowd made a concerned noise as Simo Häyhä struggled to get out of the way in time. Genghis Khan got on his horse again, and he almost trampled him. Simo Häyhä rubbed a handful of dirt in the horse's eyes, causing it to stumble as Genghis Khan rocked to and fro. Simo Häyhä opened his submachine gun fire at Genghis Khan from close range. Genghis Khan activated Sole Ruler Of The Plains and blasted Simo Häyhä to the ground with its shattering impact.

Genghis Khan summoned Mongolian warriors to aid him. Now the crowd called out with anticipation as new combatants appeared out of thin air. They were astounded by what they thought were advanced special effects. The Mongolian warriors chained Simo Häyhä's leg and dragged him across the floor. He pulled out a pistol from his pocket and fired at the one dragging him, managing to aim despite tumbling and tossing through the dirt. The one dragging him slumped over and faded away. Simo Häyhä could not move far from his current position as his leg was still chained. He used the chain to trip over a foolhardy warrior who charged him. He then killed the fallen warrior with his knife.

"Sole Ruler Of The Plains."

Simo Häyhä brought the chain before the impact, shattering it on contact. Genghis Khan accidentally freed his enemy. He cursed and ordered the rest of his warriors to swarm him. They charged suicidally against gunfire, and were felled with ease. More entered the fray, undaunted by their fallen brethren.

Genghis Khan decided to join the charge. He made several frenzied strikes, which Simo Häyhä dodged. He ran further away while still aiming and firing at the advancing enemies. Genghis Khan had enough of this, and summoned more warriors. This group operated a deadly contraption created using his Item Creation. To Simo Häyhä, it seemed to be some form of primitive cannon.

"Yield to the pain of stinging hornets," declared Genghis Khan. His warriors loaded arrows in each of the holes in the contraption and filled it with gunpowder. They ignited it, causing arrows to spray at Simo Häyhä, each one propelled at blinding speeds by the explosive power. Fragments of wood and arrow tips sprayed at Simo Häyhä along with intact arrows. It dealt damage in an area. Simo Häyhä sustained minor injuries initially as his parka and thick clothing protected him from most of the damage from the device. The warriors then loaded iron spikes instead of arrows. Simo Häyhä understood why it he compared it to hornets. With each activation, clouds of sharp, burning metal and explosives were ejected, decimating all in its way.

Simo Häyhä glanced at the spectators surrounding him. They cheered him on, and he worried about their safety. Using Clairvoyance, he realized that some spikes will hit them. Knowing what the must do, he ran forward, straight at the device, to close the angle so all the projectiles will hit him instead. When the fuse burnt out, smoke erupted with a thunderous clap, sending red hot iron fragments at him. The blast ripped through him, inflicting multiple stab wounds. Blood soaked his parka, and clutched his chest in agony. With gritted, blood-stained teeth, he found inspiration to carry on by looking at the crowd of onlookers he fought to protect. The smell of spent gunpowder filled the air, the smoke watering his eyes. In the chaos, he found a stray pack of gunpowder on the floor.

Simo Häyhä it, and turned it into a makeshift grenade and bombed it. The entire contraption exploded, causing the operators to be destroyed by the blast. It was only by sheer luck that none of the spectators were hurt. Thankfully, they had moved back after the contraption was deployed, as the noise of gunpowder exploding deafened them. This contributed to their safety significantly.

Genghis Khan resumed the attack on a crippled Simo Häyhä who sustained numerous injuries. Every action hurt now, as those iron spikes dug deep into his flesh. He still managed to evade Genghis Khan, and even scored a clean hit with his combat knife. He then used a piece of chain to hook Genghis Khan and pull him off his horse again. He fell off comically, and to round off his performance, Simo Häyhä bowed before the crowd, playing along.

"You mock me? I will cut you to pieces!"

"For someone who struggles to even touch me, you promise too much," Simo Häyhä remarked.

"Dragon Of The Golden Horde!"

The smoky visage of the Dragon appeared before Simo Häyhä. He knew what followed and made a hasty retreat. The Dragon opened its jaws, smoke billowing from it. It let out a hacking cough, and this time spat out a torrent of ash and soot, disorientation Simo Häyhä. It then unleashed its molten iron, which sprayed across the battlefield, melting the ground wherever it landed. It missed Simo Häyhä, who aimed at its head and fired, only for the bullet to pass through harmlessly.

Genghis Khan switched to his bow and fired at Simo Häyhä. He dodged to the side, before noticing that one of the arrows about to pass his head would hit an onlooker. He caught the arrow in his hands and raised it to the crowd, which grew hysterical with awe.

Genghis Khan turned livid. He activated his Sole Ruler of The Plains, which shattered the ground beneath wherever his scimitar struck. Simo Häyhä dodged to the left to avoid it. Genghis Khan followed with another, forcing Simo Häyhä to parry the second activation with his submachine gun. The submachine gun shattered into mana and faded away. The onlookers thought this to be special effects, and a few of the began to clap once more.

The Dragon returned, hissing before Simo Häyhä. It brought its dagger-like claws down on him, pinning him. It readied a blast of molten iron, its jaws snapping open to reveal a churning furnace within.

Simo Häyhä switched to his sniper rifle. The activated its ability to disrupt mana, and he detached its magazine before inserted it into the Dragon's mouth. The bullets fizzled on contact with the molten iron inside, releasing its magic-disrupting energies. The Dragon stuttered and coughed, choking on the magazine. Simo Häyhä decided to make his escape.

"Foolish Dragon, burn him now!" he ordered.

The Dragon tried to spit molten iron, though all that came out was a lump of solidified iron, sooty and corroded. Its magic malfunctioned due to the bullets it devoured. Genghis Khan deactivated his Dragon to save mana, causing it to fade away.

During this distraction, Simo Häyhä made his escape by leaping over the crowd, prompting Genghis Khan to follow. He led Genghis Khan to an unpopulated area, and managed to lose him with Presence Concealment. He then made his way to Suomenlinna Fortress.

As he leaped from building to building, speeding through the landscape of him home, Simo Häyhä's lips formed first true smile in a long time. Warmth filled his chest, and he felt anything was achievable now. The battle restored something Simo Häyhä had lost for decades. His heart was at peace now, a bond long broken had reformed. He felt like one of his people, watching them laugh, cheer, talk and have fun. They still admired him, and saw him as Finland's hero.


	41. Chapter 41

**Chapter 41: Across The Icy Waters **

**(Day 9 of the 6th Grail War) **

In the afternoon, Aasaa wrestled with his doubts and fears. Before him, the greatest challenge in his life. He dared to face it head on. The rising chill, the soaring motivation. With a stern and steely stare, he surveyed the battlefield, and made his stand now. He stood before the kitchen sink, folded his sleeves and replaced his trench-coat with an apron. He wore a face mask, while powder-free gloves hugged his fingers. A blender waited beside him, accompanied by packets of coffee, sugar, cinnamon and a carton of milk. An army of tools, utensils, apparatus and gadgets awaited his command.

"Master, you insist on doing this alone?" Hou Yi folded his arms teasingly as the recognized the ingredients. "Coffee? You must like her

"Shut up. Argh, stop being so aggravating. It's not about getting her. How many times-" Aasaa slammed a bag of coffee on the table with his hand, and pointed at Hou Yi to be quiet. "I got this."

What followed was a catastrophe. Aasaa ended up with half a cup of brown emulsion and a scald on his hand. Hou Yi took pained sips from Aasaa's home-made coffee.

"This tastes like the ancient medicine from China I always hated to drink," Hou Yi commented, bringing the cup to Aasaa to smell.

An overpowering wave of coffee filled his nostrils. Putting it away, he understood Hou Yi's criticism. "Alright. You make it."

"No Master, I refuse." Hou Yi saw his Master overcoming this hurdle as a significant step in his journey of self-improvement. "You have to push through."

"Yea, I'm trying," Aasaa's hand clasped over his forehead. "I just don't know how to." Frustration ached in his words.

Hou Yi smiled at his Master and encouraged him. He did not want to make it for him. Instead, he helped him make it. Reading off a recipe Aasaa had printed, he guided his hands as they went along. The second attempt turned out to be passable. Hou Yi helped him with a third, fourth and fifth. By the sixth, Aasaa made a batch on his own.

In another room, Shiori tried to sew an embroidered patch to Aasaa's new trench-coat, the one bought for his birthday.

Shiori's hands gripped the needle, tread already secured in the hole. She could not begin. She feared she would maim the trench-coat with a mistake.

"Shiori, do you need my help?" Florence Nightingale asked, as she sat opposite of her, observing her work.

"No..."

"You do. I am certain now."

"If you help me, it won't be my work." She continued to make fruitless attempts with doubtful hands.

"Why the pressure to sew on this...what is this anyway?"

"It's a handmade embroidered patch of Excalibur. I searched how to make it yesterday, I hope he likes it."

"It's a fine piece of work, but you seem to be struggling with the final step. Also, I presume this is for his birthday."

"Yes it is." Shiori fumbled and made a mistake. "Sheesh this is hard." She threw the embroidered patch on the floor, close to giving up.

Florence Nightingale walked to her, and picked it up. With both hands, she placed it within her palm, and told her to try. "Aasaa will not reject it. No matter what happens. If he does, I'll throw him in the sea."

Shiori tried to smile at Florence Nightingale's threat. She knew Aasaa will never be that impolite. Florence Nightingale nodded with satisfaction as her Master got to work with the sewing.

They exchanged their respective gifts purely by chance. Aasaa ran from the kitchen in search of more sugar, having run out of it on his 19th batch. Shiori meanwhile, searched for a lint roller to clean the trench-coat before the final presentation. Excalibur's embroidered image now rested above where Aasaa's heart would be. They bumped into each other. Shiori noticed the coffee in his hands. It smelled almost like her favourite drink, catching her attention. Aasaa smiled at the sight of the embroidered Excalibur on his new trench-coat.

"Err...is that for me?" They asked each other in unison.

Aasaa tried to resist giving Shiori the coffee as he still wanted to improve on it. Shiori tried to hide the trench-coat from Aasaa as it still had lint on it.

"Just get on with it," Hou Yi and Florence Nightingale said, both of them appearing from spirit form. They caught sight of each other and realized they were each helping their own Masters. Hou Yi tried to return to spirit form, when Florence Nightingale stepped forward after him.

Shiori hesitantly presented the trench-coat before Aasaa. She then took the coffee from Aasaa, who held it with shaky hands. He held on to the trench-coat, watching Shiori take a sip with bated breaths. She picked up the slight bitterness to the coffee, as it lacked enough sugar. Ignoring it, she praised him for almost replicating her favourite drink. Aasaa smiled and put on the trench-coat, his fingers feeling the embroidered Excalibur on his heart. Shiori placed her hand there, pressing lightly.

They thanked each other. Finding the situation silly, Aasaa brought Shiori to the kitchen, showing her the war-zone of the greatest battle fought in the 6th Grail War so far. She laughed at the sight of the kitchen, pointing to the overturned blender, a stream of coffee flowing from it, and a mound of cinnamon on the table.

"This would go nicely on my list of cooking failures," Aasaa said.

"Correction. List of successes, if you consider 1 incident as a list." Shiori finished the coffee.

"Up to you. The sheer waste of resources could make it count as a failure." Aasaa shrugged.

"Deal. 18 failures and 1 success," Shiori decided.

"Well, it's better than nothing. I'll take it."

Shiori showed Aasaa the mass of wasted thread she had accumulated in her attempts to get the sewing right. Aasaa appreciated the effort she put in despite the difficulty she faced. They hugged each other, laughing in spite of themselves.

Shiori offered to have Florence Nightingale treat Aasaa's scald.

"No, I want you to treat it."

"But she can do it instantly."

Aasaa smiled, as Shiori traced her fingers around the scald. "Come with me, I'll patch you up."

Aasaa took it upon himself to join Hou Yi as he guarded the fortress. Together, they watched the Sun begin to set

Hou Yi sat atop a rocky outcrop, overlooking Suomenlinna Fortress on the outside. He used his Clairvoyance to scour the frozen waters for an invasion by sea. So far, he detected no signs of the enemy. In his hands held a bottle of beer, courtesy of Aasaa.

"You know, don't mess up your chance with her." Hou Yi took a swig of beer, savouring the fizzy goodness as bubbles washed over his tongue.

"This again?" Aasaa fought the feeling to snatch the bottle from him mid-drink.

Hou Yi put down the bottle, and in an uncharacteristic shift from his brazen self, he explained to him. "I lost my chance, when she floated to the moon forever. So, if I can see my Master succeed, that'll be the next best thing."

He understood now. The pranks, the teasing, the semi-legitimate tactics he employed to get them together. It was a coping mechanism of sorts. Though he insisted the event no longer pained him, the scars remained. Hou Yi patted Aasaa on the back, giving him his full confidence, and told him to try in earnest after the Grail War ended.

"I'll think about it." Aasaa felt sympathy for him, yet he yearned to get away from this awkward distraction.

"Think about her." The Servant returned to his cheeky self

"You're insufferable." Aasaa turned away, and shut his ears.

"I'm Hou Yi."

Aasaa refused to talk to his Servant, and found a better company in Misa, who emerged from the fortress to join him in enjoying the ocean breeze. Shiori remained underground, training under Rin, who gave her a gemstone to swallow to further activate her circuits, and maximize her fire orb.

"Here, I projected a sheath for Don Quixote's sword." Aasaa handed the leather sheath with a gloss dark brown finish to Misa. Misa thanked him and slipped her sword into it.

"I've been speaking to your parents. You have a good family Aasaa."

"Thanks. I only wish I could give you one too."

Misa went silent for a while, before replying, "I've moved on, don't worry about me, though without a family I feel lonely at times."

Aasaa took a deep breath, breathing in the cold salty air. He would never get sick of this scent. The place was beautiful. He could make out the faint lights from Helsinki mainland across the partially frozen waters.

"Don't worry Misa, after this, we'll keep in touch for sure."

"Really? But how?"

"We will find a way, you'll never be lonely again."

Misa took out a bar of white chocolate and started nibbling on it. Aasaa smiled and looked to the horizon as the Sun dipped below the water line.

"Gorgeous isn't it?" Hou Yi spoke. He kept his gaze on the setting sun "I once dealt with 10 of these."

A silence followed. Unnatural for the most obnoxious Servant of the Grail War. Aasaa looked to his direction, wondering what concerned him.

"I see Simo Häyhä. He is walking across the water, freezing it to create a path," Hou Yi said.

"He's back. He must have broken free from Fezgrem."

"Or he is on the way to kill us, as commanded by him." Hou Yi drew his bow to be safe.

Simo Häyhä's return filled Aasaa with joy, and raised his hopes of defeating Genghis Khan.

In the skies above the frozen water, two large Wire Hawks flew, carrying Genghis Khan and Isilda.

"I hope you find this to be better than a horse," Isilda said.

"Horses are one of the key pillars of Mongolian warfare and lifestyle. I will never choose any mount over one, though the nature of our task requires a different mount."

Simo Häyhä made it about halfway across when he heard a loud squawk from the skies above him.

"Oh no, they're here," Aasaa said. "I'm going to call the others."

"They are fighting over the sea. We can't get to them," Misa said, watching the Wire Hawks circling their prey.

Simo Häyhä only had his sniper rifle left. He created a pocket of ice in the water, creating cover for himself and opened fire at them. The two of them simply flew higher into the clouds, rendering his sniping ineffective.

"Master, his attacks disrupt mana. You need to fly far away. Let me handle this."

"Yes, my Khan." Isilda left the battlefield on the back of her Wire Hawk.

Genghis Khan used the Wire Hawk's scythe-like talons to drag across the icy waters, kicking up water and ice as it went. It smashed into Simo Häyhä's position, destroying his cover. He froze the water and climbed out on a small platform of ice. He stood drenched in freezing salt water, though this did not burden him.

Aasaa and the others observed the fight from the shore, praying Simo Häyhä would emerge victorious.

Simo Häyhä looked towards the shores of Suomenlinna, Hannes first summoned him. The saw his allies. Turning back to face his adversary, he cocked his rifle, confident in the backup his allies were about to provide.

Gordafarid used her Ever-Approaching Downfall to send her lance chasing after Genghis Khan, while Hou Yi fired his arrows from the shore. The others could only watch Simo Häyhä struggle to repel the airborne assault.

Genghis Khan dodged the bullets as his Wire Hawk could be destroyed with a single mana-disrupting shot. He then lowered himself to Simo Häyhä's level, and cut through him with his scimitar. The force of the Wire Hawk crashing into him sent Simo Häyhä tumbling into the icy water, his platform cracking to pieces. Genghis Khan impaled him with the talons of the Wire Hawk. The water around Simo Häyhä were stained red, and he fought to keep afloat.

Aasaa felt helpless. They were too far from the fight to contribute. Shirou and Rin took this time to study Genghis Khan's abilities, unable to use Unlimited Blade Works as Genghis Khan's Flail Of God would destroy it in an instant.

Gordafarid's lance arrived, slamming itself into Genghis Khan. It bounced off. Genghis Khan batted it away with Sole Ruler Of The Plains, shattering it. From the shoreline, Gordafarid recoiled from the force of Genghis Khan's Noble Phantasm, which destroyed her Noble Phantasm. Hou Yi's arrows yielded more success. 9 Anti-Team level arrows found their way into Genghis Khan's Wire Hawk, exploding with shredding force in golden sprays of fire. The Wire Hawk descended into the icy waters, its wings frayed and torn. Genghis Khan landed near Simo Häyhä while he continued to fire at him. Each shot bounced off. Simo Häyhä could not move in his injured state and readied himself for close combat, knife in hand.

"Sole Ruler Of The Plains." Genghis Khan brought his scimitar down on Simo Häyhä smashing his position. His body jolted, wracked by the impact, as monstrous ripples radiated outwards. Ice shattered around them. Sizeable waves reached the shore, forcing Aasaa's team to flee from it.

"He needs our help!" Aasaa called Hou Yi to fire his Noble Phantasm to support Simo Häyhä. Hou Yi hastened to charge up enough power in his Piercer Of Nine Suns at Genghis Khan. His bow glowed gold, each arrow charged with the force of the bomb.

Genghis Khan saw the incoming attack, and summoned his Dragon Of The Golden Horde. It surged towards Hou Yi, a coiling stream of smoke that took the form of a dragon.

Florence Nightingale and Gordafarid attempted to strike it, though their attacks passed through its smokey form. The Dragon's mouth glowed red-hot and out poured molten iron. Sensing their Masters were in danger, Florence Nightingale and Gordafarid returned to shield their Masters. The Dragon turned to Hou Yi and doused his Noble Phantasm in molten iron, cutting off his at mana. Hou Yi's nine arrows fizzled out, temporarily disabled.

Genghis Khan seized the opportunity to finish Simo Häyhä off. He swam towards him and with one last strike, incapacitate him. Simo Häyhä's body floated in the crimson waters, his motionless hand no longer held his knife. Genghis Khan used Item Creation, creating a chain connected to a heavy iron ball. He tied it to the stunned Assassin and let him sink into the waters below.

Genghis Khan turned around, calling his Dragon back to him. His primary mission accomplished, he retreated to Helsinki to report to Isilda.

"Quickly, we must find him!" Aasaa said.

"We need boats," said Shiori.

"We can project some. Mother, you can use the small one you arrived in to begin the search first."

Rin accepted this proposal and began to search the frozen waters with Gordafarid. Misa handed them several light orbs to use as illumination once it started to get dark.

Shirou projected a boat for himself, and invited Misa to come with him as the second search party. She jumped in, excited to be on a mission with Shirou.

In the end, four boats searched the waters near where the frigid waves swallowed Simo Häyhä. Light orbs illuminated their path, glowing in the black water. Except for Shiori and Florence Nightingale's boat. It shone with grandiose brightness. Florence Nightingale's lamp cast radiant rays of orange and yellow across the waters.

Aasaa and Hou Yi combed the waters. They laboured for hours. Exhaustion crept into them, the time almost midnight, the situation worsened as mist rolled in, magnifying their struggles. They had no choice but to call off the search.

The search parties regrouped on the shoreline. Aasaa debriefed them, and at the end, Rin and Shirou concluded Simo Häyhä had faded away.

"No, we can't have searched it completely. The sea is vast."

"Indeed Aasaa, but it's a risky operation. The water is below zero degrees and the currents are strong. Freezing winds buffeted us as we searched, and now there is mist," Shirou said. "This is a mission we can't do any more."

"We could be attacked by our enemies if we are not careful," Rin pointed out. "If they capsize our boats in this freezing water we are finished."

Misa rested on him, asleep. She caught a cold out at sea and felt feverish. Aasaa called Florence Nightingale for help.

Shiori joined her Servant and ran past Aasaa, pausing a few steps shy of reaching Misa to treat her. She turned back to him. "I'm sorry, we tried."

Aasaa let out a sigh of defeat. His misty eyes stung in the freezing air. Nodding to her, he gave the tides, and the sea, one last glare. He hated them now for swallowing him. His team could not continue any further. Even their projected boats started to fade away, returning to mana. Left with no choice, he directed everyone to take shelter in the fortress. Aasaa walked in last, taking slow, dragged steps. Simo Häyhä's death shook him. His death did not befit his heroism. After decades of protecting Finland, he did not deserve to die drowning in the freezing waters as he bled out. Aasaa's chest burned with a desire for vengeance.

_Genghis Khan. That monster took so many lives. He must be stopped at all cost. _


	42. Chapter 42

**Chapter 42: Battle Of Helsinki Harbour **

**(Day 10 Of the Grail War) **

Midnight, the earliest minutes of the 10th Day. While the others slept, Aasaa did not. He pored over historical articles on Genghis Khan, trying to find a way to defeat him. Hours passed since their mission failed, and now the creeping doubts and fears had full reign. Simo Häyhä's death reminded them of how inadequately prepared they were. Frustrated, he crushed one article into a ball and threw it across the room. Its content, yet another tale of his exploits and conquests, all but confirmed Genghis Khan could not be hurt. He snatched a different article from his desk, one on the failed Mongolian invasion of Japan.

The article worried him. It made him wonder if a naval invasion could happen. Kublai Khan, one of the successors of Genghis Khan, tried twice with a fleet of ships, only to be stopped by typhoons. He recalled how Genghis Khan turned away from the shore after defeating Simo Häyhä. He would return for sure, with a fleet and lay siege to the shores of Suomenlinna. The realization made him slam the table with a balled fist, as his tired yet panicked eyes scanned the words for a possible weakness. He could not find any, which only fed the bonfires of dread in him.

"Master." Hou Yi entered his room.

"Yes Hou Yi?"

"Helsinki Harbour burns." Hou Yi shuffled his feet, collecting himself. "Genghis Khan is raising a navy."

Studying Helsinki Harbour from Suomenlinna's shore with his binoculars, Aasaa felt a churning sensation of dread. Smoke and fire were visible. Genghis Khan must have attacked to take control of the ships.

"This won't do. We must go there to investigate." Aasaa motioned Hou Yi to bring him there in a projected boat.

They did not approach Helsinki Harbour unharmed, for arrows pelted their position once they were in range. Hou Yi surveyed the area, and detected 23 Mongolian ships, already assembled and battle ready, built by Genghis Khan's Item Creation using salvaged materials from the wrecked harbour. Aasaa applied Reinforcement to his trench-coat, as he took cover behind Hou Yi who readied his Noble Phantasm.

"Piercer Of The Nine Suns." Hou Yi sent 9 golden arrows soaring towards the nearest ships. They tore into their hulls in a burst of gold and sent them sinking into the icy depths below. Hou Yi's onslaught bought them a window to reach the harbour.

Now on the harbour, they could see the devastation first hand. Hundreds of Mongolian warriors demolished and disassembled buildings and ships to use for material. The law enforcement fought a losing battle to stop them, as Mongolian warriors attacked indiscriminately with civilians caught in the crossfire. Fire and smoke all around, he caught a whiff of the oil from destroyed ships coating the waters. The carnage before him drove him to action.

Projecting swords, he attacked the nearest enemies, while Hou Yi fired arrows from behind. Their coordination was sloppy at best, as an arrow from Hou Yi almost caught Aasaa's thigh while he fought from the front.

"Master, get out of the way, I'm firing." Hou Yi fired another shot at 3 attackers, though it missed Aasaa by a disconcertingly short distance.

"No, you just need to be careful." Aasaa drove his sword into the skull of a Mongolian warrior, causing him to clatter to the ground and fade to mana.

Aasaa drove ahead, projecting a barrage of swords, each one set to kill the dozens arriving to challenge him. The swords cut into them, as Aasaa slashed a Mongolian cavalryman across the chest, causing him to collapse. Caught in the thick of battle, Aasaa did not notice Hou Yi's arrow fire near him. He barely avoided the golden explosion which sent him flying several metres before he crunched on the cold ground. Wincing, he gestured accusingly at Hou Yi, who insisted he intended to aim at a group of warriors. Their quarrel did not run its course, not because either party decided to be the better man, but due to the arrival of Kublai Khan, Genghis Khan's naval expert.

"Brave warriors, you have brought low my first wave." He pointed at Aasaa and Hou Yi. "If you continue to persist, I will crush you." He blew a war-horn and called for troops.

Aasaa turned to the shore, only to see 6 ships setting sail for Suomenlinna, ready to attack before the Sun dawned. He brought his sword up and threatened to kill Kublai Khan for attacking innocents. Kublai Khan merely twirled his beard and declared, "the Finnish people have the resources we need. We have the right to take what we please as long as we fight for it."

A golden blast caught Kublai Khan, courtesy of Hou Yi who could not contain his displeasure at the ruthlessness of his foe. He declared Kublai Khan's mindset to be despicable and unleashed another salvo. The General did not flinch, and created a swirling tornado to tear apart their position. The sweeping winds forced Aasaa and Hou Yi to retreat, as it sheared buildings, sending fragments of rubble flying through the air at high speeds, each one as deadly as a bullet. Dodging and ducking, they escaped in the chaos.

Hou Yi and Aasaa's feet pounded with rapid steps as they speed along the jetty and boarded one of the Mongolian ships still preparing to set off. They killed the guards on board, and took control of it.

"Is this your plan? To fight the 6 other ships?" Hou Yi shot dead several warriors as he spoke.

"Yes, I'm commandeering this vessel." Aasaa lunged at the captain and brought him down with a forceful stab.

They set off, before Kublai Khan and the others on the shore could stop them. Now gaining on the earlier ships, Hou Yi shot them down with his Noble Phantasm, sentencing all their foes to the frigid waters. Aasaa watched them drown, his eyes gleaming with bitterness. He found it justified, as Genghis Khan killed Simo Häyhä in a similar way. He wondered if he became crueller as a result of the war, though he dismissed it as the Mongolian warriors were only targets for following the irredeemable Genghis Khan.

They reached Suomenlinna to find Shirou and Rin waiting for them. Aasaa explained to his concerned parents what had happened, only to receive an earful for rushing off on his own. Admittedly, his actions were too hasty, and they could have got him killed. He shrugged before mentioning that Genghis Khan planned a massive naval invasion.

Aasaa took a rest before formulating a strategy to retake the harbour. Now late morning, he spent the better part of the day rehearsing coordinated combat with Hou Yi, after their sub-par performance. Target dummies were spread out across the room, retrieved from the Vault. Aasaa practised parrying and attacking, defending Hou Yi's position, while his Servant launched arrows to provide support for his Master. Aasaa also trained himself in battlefield awareness, keeping track of both the enemies and his Servant behind him, so he did not wander into the line of fire.

Rin oversaw the training with Gordafarid, who decided to interrupt Aasaa's training with a proposal. The Lancer entered the training area, and asked them to take a break, before showing Aasaa her scimitar. She wanted him to project his own version of it, so he could gain the ability to fight multiple foes better by harnessing the power of her Noble Phantasm, A Lion Eager For Battle.

Aasaa's Projection of Gordafarid's scimitar now rested in his grip. He practised with the weapon, getting accustomed to its weight. His new weapon represented the fight against insurmountable odds, used by Gordafarid to hold off a hopelessly large army in her time. He found it eerie in the present context, as Genghis Khan's army loomed ever closer. Thee training concluded after he and Hou Yi mastered their coordinated attack, the two of them now fighting together seamlessly, covering for each other's shortfalls.

Nightfall of the 10th Day. More Mongolian ships gathered at Helsinki Harbour, constructed at supernatural speeds. Aasaa activated his plan to retake the harbour, realizing the possibility of another invasion. Everyone boarded the hijacked ship from yesterday, and set off. Their foes had a numerical advantage, though Hou Yi's firepower far outstripped theirs, and Aasaa planned to use it. He gripped his copy of Gordafarid's scimitar as they approached the harbour, its metal grip grew cold in his hands as the temperature dipped.

Hou Yi opened once again with his Noble Phantasm, crushing the nearby ships. This time, the Mongolian warriors deployed early cannons, sending iron projectiles at them. For now, they were safe, as Hou Yi out-ranged them, and all the attacks missed. Hou Yi taunted them as his arrows sent ships sinking, until a clean hit from a Mongolian cannon tore a hole in their ship and wiped the smile from his face. The projectile came above the water-level, though it wrecked the interior of the ship, where the Masters were sitting

Inside, Shirou held his palm forward, his shield Rho Aias summoned to project everyone inside. The cannonball headed straight for them, and would have killed, if not for his split-second defence. Aasaa realized they could have all died. He turned to Shiori, who let out an outburst of fear as the cannon barrage rocked the ship. She clasped her hands around her ears, shaking her head and insisted they turn back to Suomenlinna. The cannonball would have struck her, if not for Shirou's Rho Aias. Misa tried to help her up, though Shiori screamed upon being touched, hysterical from nearly dying. Florence Nightingale got up, knowing what she needed to do. She joined Hou Yi on the deck and activated her Noble Phantasm.

"Nightingale Pledge." She raised her lamp to call forth all its power. This time she added a line to enhance its potency. "I Will Abstain From Whatever Is Deleterious And Mischievous."

The blue figure emerged from her position, towering above the waves. It brought its massive sword down upon Helsinki Harbour, ceasing all hostilities at once. Now, they could reach the shore safely.

"Come on, couldn't you have let me fire a few more arrows first?" Hou Yi lowered his bow.

"Our Masters were nearly killed you buffoon."

Hou Yi made another irritating comment, causing Florence Nightingale regret activating her Noble Phantasm to cancel violence, as she now wanted to throttle him.

Now on the harbour, Florence Nightingale's Noble Phantasm faded, and they began their attack. Hou Yi invited her to join in the battle, though she insisted she remain behind to protect Shiori, still trembling in fear.

Aasaa knelt before her as she let out a series of scattered mumbles and whispered to herself, eyes closed. She had never come this close to death during the Grail War until now.

"Shiori, I..." He found himself unable to continue. Shiori's panic state meant she needed protection.

"Let me go!" She shouted. "I want to go away from here, away from this Grail War."

Aasaa tried to comfort her, taking glances at the battlefield behind him. So far, their allies provided enough cover. His efforts were futile, and Shiori told him to leave her alone. "I'm sorry, but I have to go and fight now. Florence, please, take care of her." He looked at Florence Nightingale, who shielded her from the battle, and carried her away.

Mongolian warriors rushed out at them. This time, Aasaa waited for Hou Yi to blast them to shreds before he greeted the survivors with Gordafarid's scimitar. Gordafarid and Rin attacked elsewhere, making their way towards Kublai Khan, while Shirou and Misa, both close-ranged fighters, cut through the army.

"A Lion Eager For Battle." Aasaa activated his version of the Noble Phantasm. It did not grant the same power as Gordafarid though he could feel himself gaining strength as more foes engaged him. He prevailed against all odds against 10 warriors who made the ill-advised decision to surround him. With a sweeping cut, he beheaded them all, before charging ahead to kill another group. Constant support from Hou Yi's arrows made way for him. Each golden arrow sent his enemies flying. The combined attack overran the Mongolian warrior's hold out, and Kublai Khan emerged to face them. He barrelled into Aasaa, and knocked him off his feet. With Aasaa now on the ground, he slammed his sword down on him, forcing Aasaa to block the impact with his scimitar. Kublai Khan drove the weapon downwards, bringing his sword closer to Aasaa when Hou Yi shot him and sent him flying into a building. He crashed and tumbled into a collapse of bricks.

"Hou Yi, destroy every last ship. I will kill him." Aasaa brandished his weapon and approached Kublai Khan. His Servant nodded and found a vantage point, wishing him the best of luck.

Kublai Khan rose from the debris, incensed by his foes' actions. "I will take your pitiful island." He rallied his men, and an army descended upon Aasaa, the lone Lion Eager For Battle. His scimitar empowered him, and he faced them, slashing them down, before projecting swords, and driving them into his foes. He rushed ahead, and killed another warrior, before turning around to project two swords to kill warriors sneaking up on him. Freeing his scimitar from the dead warrior, he bashed the helmet of another warrior, dazing him before he cut him down.

Aasaa fought with his soul, each foe he sent dead bringing him closer to avenge Simo Häyhä, Hannes and Don Quixote. He would have continued to chop down the Mongolian warriors if not for Kublai Khan summoning winds to blast him back.

"These are the winds ruined my invasions. Twice, my fleet fell to typhoons, or what you would call Divine Winds. They were my greatest failure in life, but now they are my strength!"

Aasaa got to his feet, scimitar covered in blood, and yet beneath it, it still glimmered, remaining flawless despite the number of attacks he performed with it. It was untarnished by the battle. He wiped off the blood, and entered a defensive pose. "For all your empire's power, you still had to bow to forces beyond your control, and we will never fall to your control."

Kublai Khan created a swirling typhoon centred on him. He stood, safe in the eye of the storm while he walked forward, his winds ripping apart anything around him. Aasaa retreated after several failed attempts to stop him with gemstones. Kublai Khan prevented his escape by picking him up with the winds and slamming him into the ground. The scimitar clattered out of his grip, and Aasaa lay defeated, heaving in agony.

Kublai Khan brought his sword to Aasaa's neck, vowing to kill his allies next.

"Beware the mark of the Golden Crow! Piercer Of Nine Suns." A voice called out from the rooftop of a nearby building.

A stream of golden light blasted away Kublai Khan's typhoon. He took a step back, dodging arrows that stabbed the ground, kicking clouds of dust with shattering bursts of energy. Hou Yi leaped into the air, and shot Kublai Khan, aiming for his chest. He raised his sword to block the arrow, only for the arrow to smash through his weapon and hit him. It struck true, and he received a hole in his chest, the gaping wound smoking with heat. He stumbled over, taking one last look at the battlefield. Nearly all his ships had been destroyed, and most of his forces were defeated. In the face of crushing defeat, Kublai Khan fell over and faded into mana.

Aasaa returned to the fortress to find Florence Nightingale and Shiori waiting for them inside. The two of them left the battle early to return to the fortress for Shiori's safety.

He gave the door to Shiori's room a few gentle knocks. According to Florence Nightingale, she suffered from trauma after the cannonfire almost blasted her to pieces, and closed herself off. No response came from the door, and agonizing thoughts sprouted in him. He opened the door slowly to find Shiori sitting on her bed, staring blankly.

"Shiori, just now...at the ship...I-"

"I can't do this. It almost killed me."

Aasaa stepped towards her, attempting to console her. His hands held on to a cup of coffee.

"Don't get any closer. I know you want to convince me or motivate me. Then, I'll find myself out there fighting again."

The words broke Aasaa's momentum, his planned words of comfort dying before they even left his lips. Shiori looked at him, a timid civilian compared to a fully-fledged magus. They were at the opposite ends of the spectrum, and yet somehow both found themselves expected to fight in the Grail War. She could not compare.

"Only half of our original team remains. We're no closer to stopping Genghis Khan." Shiori hugged herself, fearing the next loss.

"We killed his navy." Aasaa knew those words would do nothing. Deep down, he knew Genghis Khan's threat still loomed, and they only bought themselves some time.

"I don't want to keep running from him. Our teammates die one by one to buy the rest time to run. I don't want to die here in a hole in the ground cowering for my life." Shiori sounded on the brink of tears, as she avoided Aaasa.

He tried once more, even though something told him they would not succeed. That never stopped him anyway, he could never truly abandon something he found worth fighting for, and he made restoring hope to Shiori his greatest priority. Shiori's further refusals dug into his chest like knives, and he relented.

"If you were a hero, you would have sent me to safety." Shiori had curled into a ball, bringing her head to her knees, her final statement said without even looking at him.


	43. Chapter 43

**Author's Note:**

**Hi everyone, depending on the reception of this story, as it nears its conclusion, I may write a sequel. Please give me your comments and reviews, and submit your own characters if you have any ideas for Servants or Masters you would like to see in a sequel. Thank you for reading my story. :)**

* * *

**Chapter 43: Ripe For Conquest **

**(Day 11 of the 6th Grail War) **

"Master, what do you desire from the Greater Grail?" Genghis Khan sat atop his horse, now at a cliff top where Isilda sat overlooking armies of Mongolian warriors.

"I want to win the Grail War for the Einzbern Family. It's all I have in life." Isilda's red eyes fell upon the army as they formed up into numerous assault groups.

"No wish?"

"The victory is its own reward," she said.

"Tell me why not riches or power?"

"My Family head created me with only one purpose in life. The victory. My life is meaningless. I will die in one year." Isilda had moved closer to Genghis Khan. Genghis Khan signalled to his men to be quiet, so he could listen to her. They complied immediately.

"Why will you die? You seem perfectly healthy to me."

"I am a homunculus. My body is not meant to last a full lifetime." Isilda touched her hand, pressing her skin and flesh. It was all made by alchemy.

"Tell your Family head that once I win the Grail War, his land will be a part of my empire. You will use your wish to live forever, and rule as my second in command." Genghis Khan surveyed the distant landscape. He dreamed of owning it all.

"Why Genghis Khan? Why would you do that for me?"

"Because you are the first Master who let me fight this Grail War on my own terms. You respect me instead of trying to control me." Genghis Khan breathed in the forest air and sighed. The allure of a successful campaign filled him with anticipation.

"I understand. Thank you, Genghis Khan. May your conquest be swift and successful."

"Always. After this, I will rule with fixed laws and bring order to the world. My friends, family and I will stand proudly above all."

Sipoonkorpi National Park contained a network of Mongolian encampments. Each housed a different battle group, 10,000 strong, called a Tumen, the largest body of men Genghis Khan believed could remain organized while carrying out a full scale invasion. Across Helsinki, these massive armies waited for the order to strike.

"As a Homunculus, I can provide you with a lot of Mana. The Old Church can supply mana as well, as it was built over a leyline, the very reason the Clocktower chose to house the Greater Grail there in the first place."

Genghis Khan smiled. "This is sufficient." Being one who mastered warfare, he understood the cost of war. He gazed upon every one of his summoned warriors Each was an investment.

Isilda continued, "however, your army will need to consume the souls of the populace as the invasion progresses, or we will run out." Isilda advised Genghis Khan.

"Agreed. Mana is my biggest concern. We will strike fast." Genghis Khan raised his scimitar and bellowed at the army before him. "You are my Ravening Horde. You will break their forts to splinters and crush all who resist."

The army raised their weapons and roared in response. They worshipped their Khan. Banners flew and horns blared.

"Genghis Khan, I wonder how will your army with bows and swords, defeat modern military?" Isilda asked, now wearing Mongolian armour. Genghis Khan's smiths fashioned it from hardened leather and iron, laced with silk. They coloured her armour coloured maroon, a nod to her magus clothes.

"They are an extension of my will. They possess my power to a lesser extent. It grants them great strength, speed and reflexes. Furthermore, they are spirits, who do not need food, water and rest, but the mana which you so graciously provide."

Isilda brought her fist to her chest, saluting Genghis Khan who gave them the order to attack. The first wave of Mongol warriors charged out of the forests, and began to sack the surrounding buildings. Though equipped with medieval weapons, they were magical, and managed to overwhelm the law enforcement forces.

Isilda bowed before Genghis Khan. "I will take 20,000 men and crush them. In your name."

Genghis Khan grinned. He brought his hand to Isilda's shoulder. "Khan of the Maroon Horde. Take your army, and return only when your lust for battle is sated. We will rule together, eternal and golden."

Isilda rallied her army and set forth, promising Genghis Khan only victory.

Genghis Khan's army seized the nearby districts within the hour. Buildings burned, and rubble littered the streets. The Finnish military began to mobilize, though they were dumbfounded by the appearance of long dead Mongolian warriors in Helsinki. Against military forces, the Mongolian warriors progressed more slowly, and suffered losses. By now 3 of the assault groups activated. 2 from Sipoonkorpi and 1 from Helsinki Old Church. Isilda's army fought elsewhere, causing mayhem and flanking the defenders.

The Finnish army established a barricade by mid-day on most fronts to contain Genghis Khan's army. Bombs and missiles blasted away at Mongolian encampments. The Mongolian warriors called for support from Genghis Khan. It came in the form of engineers who operated the trebuchets assembled days ago. They used chunks of rubble as ammunition, smashing the barricaded positions with boulders of brick and concrete. At one battlefield, where rubble was scarce, Genghis Khan ordered his men to cut down the trees in the forest, soak then in the lakes nearby and wait for them to freeze in the cold. Once frozen, they made sufficiently heavy blocks of wood and ice to shatter the barricades.

Genghis Khan sat in the forests of Sipoonkorpi. His eyes glowed red as he called out to the heavens. "Gods, bring back the rest of my loyal Generals. I call upon the greatest of my empire. All of you, long dead champions of the Great Khanate, rise and march to glory."

The ghosts of 28 more Generals emerged from the woods around Genghis Khan. Their armour glowed gold, fiery from being freshly forged. They breathed in the air with their newly formed lungs, eyes opening after centuries of death. Bones that withered in tombs now coated in muscle and skin. They took their first steps, heard their first sounds, and tasted the living air. "The time of destruction is upon our enemies!" they declared, as Genghis Khan raised his scimitar to greet them all.

He knew some of them personally, while others were the inheritors of his empire hundreds of years later. Genghis Khan valued them all, and now they would see his wishes come true. Behind them, thousands of troops materialized, their armour and weapons enchanted with potent magic. The full might of the Mongol Empire descended upon Helsinki.

Mongolian warriors rushed towards the Finnish tanks. They braved storms of gunfire to attach gunpowder charges to the tanks. The charges ripped the tanks' hulls to shreds in a roar of fire and ash. The beleaguered Finnish army faced a supernatural foe that knew no retreat or surrender. They were being pushed back, as more assault groups joined the fray. The Generals greeted them on the battlefield, each wielding a Noble Phantasm that represented their rule.

Bloody fighting began on the streets as gunfire and arrows were traded. The Mongolian warriors had weaker firepower than modern weapons though they were also more resilient due to their magical enchantments.

Aasaa watched as Shiori got ready to depart Suomenlinna, as daggers of depression pierced his lungs, suffocating him in hopelessness. He projected her a reinforced boat, and with her Servant, they were ready to leave. A tear flowed down his cheek, as she got on the boat. Losses in a Grail War were expected, but nothing could have prepared him for this. The joy they shared mere days ago lay dead in the recesses of his mind, nothing more than grey, faded memories. Losing Simo Häyhä already dampened their chances significantly. Without Shiori and Florence Nightingale, their chances of winning against Genghis Khan vanished.

"Shiori, Genghis Khan wants to kill all the Servants to use the Greater Grail. I will bring you to safety, and then trade myself to buy you immunity from him." Florence Nightingale said, fully intending to let herself go, so she would be safe. The boat sailed out to sea, moving with solemn resignation through floating chunks of ice. Shiori did not reply, the guilt of having to make Florence Nightingale sacrifice herself guilted her conscience. Alas, she needed her safety. She hated herself, though it presented a way out, and she needed to stay true to her goal of surviving the Grail War.

News of the first stages of Genghis Khan attack in Helsinki reached Aasaa. He knew of the army marching from Sipoonkorpi, the mounting losses and rising flames. He chose to not tell Shiori, not wanting to have her bear the guilt of abandoning them in this difficult time. He considered any act of persuading her a form of manipulation, and he could not bring himself to manipulate her. In her broken state, she wanted safety, and the right to live, something anyone should be given. Now, she set sail from Suomenlinna, unimpeded.

"Master, we can't win, I have counted 30 Generals and 120,000 warriors." Hou Yi materialized, returning from a scouting mission.

"We can't flee either, he will hunt every Servant down and use the Greater Grail to rule the world."

"How are you certain he will use it for that."

"From his history, that is the most likely wish he has." Aasaa turned back to the fortress. "We are going to fight him, no matter what. We head back to Helsinki today."

Aasaa once thought the hardest challenge he faced was facing Genghis Khan. Handling Shiori's despair presented to him a different kind of fight. He saw her leave, wanting nothing to do with the Grail War or him, even. A hope had sprouted in him, from the time they spent together, from all the things he taught her. He dared dream she had risen above her fear of dying in the Grail War. What happened yesterday proved him completely wrong. Nevertheless, he worried about her, concerned if she would make it out safely. With gritted teeth and an aching his heart, he steeled himself to face the horde without his friend.

"So that's it. You've lost her and now you are going to die a hero standing up to Genghis Khan." Hou Yi placed his hand on Aasaa's shoulder.

Rin and Shirou emerged from the fortress to speak to their son. "Aasaa, we could destroy the Greater Grail, and stop this." Rin suggested.

"Genghis Khan controls the Old Church. We need to fight our way through," said Aasaa.

"We could also go for his Master, and wait him out." Shirou pondered.

Aasaa and Hou Yi decided they will fight through Genghis Khan's army to protect Helsinki's population, while Rin, Shirou, Misa and Gordafarid worked on breaching the Old Church's defences. Their planning was haphazard at best, they did not know where Genghis Khan's Master hid. Nevertheless, they were forced to act now, as Genghis Khan's armies tore ever deeper into Helsinki. Soon, he would be unstoppable.

Aasaa and the others sailed towards Helsinki on projected boats, as the Mongolian ship they stole faded to mana. Their stay in Suomenlinna came its bitter end.

They came to the fortress looking for hope and the means to fight back. Instead, they broke apart. With heavy hearts, and dying hopes, they sailed past the area of sea Simo Häyhä downed in. Aasaa felt the air drop in temperature by over 20 degrees. Snow began to fall for the briefest moment as they passed. He hallucinated a silhouette walking on the water, patches of ice beneath his feet. The silhouette only grew firmer as time passed. The White Death rose from the sea, his wounds healed. "I can sense the pain of my people. If that fool thinks he can come and bring war to Suomi, let him know we are more than prepared."

Aasaa could not believe his eyes. Simo Häyhä, ravaged with wounds and left to drown without a Master, stood before him. He was as resilient and devoted to his country as the stories said, and now that Genghis Khan launched his full-scale invasion, his return could not be more fitting.

"Simuna... You're back?" Aasaa asked, reaching out to touch him. A solid gloved hand clasped his outstretched palm, gripping firmly.

"The freezing waters of Finland healed me, restoring my mana and strength. Such is the depth of my connection and loyalty to this land," Simo Häyhä said, clearing the ice in their way with his Territory Creation. "Go and fight him. I have to tend to something first."

Simo Häyhä watched as Aasaa and the others sailed off. They did so with more hope now, their chances improved with the presence of one more Servant on their side. The White Death made sure they were far away before he proceeded to his task. If he told them what he needed to tend to, they would turn around to save her. It would prove troublesome, for right now, he needed Aasaa and his team at the frontlines against Genghis Khan.

Shiori and Florence Nightingale sailed towards Estonia, when a Wire Hawk cast a shadow above them.

Mongolian General Borokhula flew overhead, and fired an arrow that pierced Shiori's shoulder. Blood poured from it and stained her jacket, as she clutched the wound in agony. The fear of death rose from its dark recesses and gripped her racing heart.

"We watched you leave," Borokhula said. "Who will save you now?"

Florence Nightingale raised her pistol to shoot the Wire Hawk. Borokhula responded by gaining altitude before blowing a war-horn to call more Wire Hawk mounted Mongolian warriors. 6 more arrived.

They flashed their glistening talons, eager to slash at them with razor precision.

Florence Nightingale offered herself. "My Master has decided to concede the Grail War. I will go to Genghis Khan and surrender after I see her to safety."

Shiori struggled through the pain and whispered to her, "I don't want us to die."

"I will protect you."

More arrows flew at them. Borokhula apparently received orders to kill them regardless. With fading consciousness, Shiori realized Genghis Khan would not let her surrender unscathed, and considered returning to fight. Florence Nightingale took 4 arrows for her, shielding her. A Wire Hawk buffeted their boat, threatening to plunge them into the icy waters.

Praying that the boat would not capsize, Shiori came to a realization. Her foes would not let her go. They planned to kill her. Or worse. Running was futile. It made sense, as she recalled some historical notes from Aasaa. Genghis Khan did not forgive, and once his opponent resisted, he would execute them no matter how much they grovelled. That was his philosophy, the price of resistance. She had to fight, or die.

Florence Nightingale fired uselessly at her foes who were too far away, too mobile for her. She prepared to use her Noble Phantasm when a voice called out.

"White Death."

The air swirled, freezing winds turned the water to ice in seconds, as the Wire Hawks were drawn into the swelling blizzard. A figure dressed in white uniform walked towards Shiori and Florence Nightingale, making soundless steps across the frozen platform.

Disbelief gave way to astonished joy as Shiori and Florence Nightingale called out to Simo Häyhä. They were saved by the soldier who would even death could not stop.

His Wire Hawk now crashed in the snow, Borokhula staggered towards them with his spear. "Impossible, Genghis Khan himself killed you."

"Not even Genghis Khan can kill me. What will you do?" Simo Häyhä put on his white mask, covered his head with the hood of his parka and disappeared into the snow. Several screams followed, and he returned before Florence Nightingale and Shiori, sheathing his bloodied knife.

"Their corpses will rest in the ice forever. No one threatens my homeland or my people," Simo Häyhä helped the injured Shiori up, now partially healed by Florence Nightingale.

"Shiori, Aasaa has returned to Helsinki. Genghis Khan has raised an army and intends to wipe Helsinki off the map to claim the Greater Grail. What would you do?"

Shiori remained silent, as sleet and snow swirled around her. None of it hurt, in fact, she found it beautiful, watching the ice dance in the sweeping winds. She vowed to not run from the Grail War any more. After all, her friends were fighting, and she owed her life to Simo Häyhä. She bit her lip, casting away the fear of death with the white-hot resolve to fight for survival. Genghis Khan drove her into a corner, and she refused to lie down and die. When cornered, even the weak and scared rise to fight. "I'm going back to Helsinki. We will heal the wounded, together."

"And there's the heart of someone who rises to defend their homeland." Simo Häyhä froze a path all the way to Helsinki's coast. With Shiori and Florence Nightingale, he walked down the icy path to defend his homeland's capital.


	44. Chapter 44

**Chapter 44: The Battle For Helsinki **

**(Day 11 of the 6th Grail War) **

The journey to Helsinki took Aasaa's team an hour. They made landfall at a different spot, as the devastation at the harbour yesterday made it inaccessible. Civilian transport ships lined the shores of Helsinki, ready to carry the fleeing populace to the islands or even to the neighbouring countries for safety. All around them, people shed fearful tears, calling out for their loved ones. Disaster relief personnel and Finnish soldiers charged with the evacuation of civilians bore burdened faces, as they tended to the frightened masses. Providing adequate first aid, food, shelter, and necessities posed mounting challenges for them. The long queues meant some had to wait for over a day.

_That coward is willing to threaten an entire city's population to achieve his goals. Every time I think he has reached the peak of depravity, he proves me wrong._

Shirou, Rin, Misa and Gordafarid separated from the group to meet with magi scattered across Helsinki. They contacted the survivors of the disciplinary force sent after Sircolia, and other magi sent to Helsinki to cover up the destruction. A total of 54 magi gathered at the meeting point in the north-west region of Helsinki. They knew Genghis Khan based himself in Sipoonkorpi, at the north-eastern border of Helsinki, and readied themselves to face the advancing armies.

Travelling towards the front-line, Aasaa's feet trudged past the partially burnt remains of a child's stuffed animal. He took a moment to look at it, reflecting on how no one, child or soldier, was spared from war. He turned and grimaced at the hills of wreckage and ruin, buildings devoured by fire and smoke. Bodies littered the ground that was mangled with craters and cracks. Guy Fawkes' devastation looked insignificant compared to what stood before them now. Before them lay the grim display of Genghis Khan's full power, the wrath of a man who had lost all patience. To drive them out, he had used his empire, his greatest and most treasured possession. With it, he once brought nations to their knees. In death, the empire returned to him, as a collective Noble Phantasm. What hope did they have against the rolling tide of iron-wrought destruction?

Aasaa and Hou Yi began the fight against Genghis Khan. From a skyscraper, Hou Yi began his golden barrage. Every shot by Hou Yi found their way to their opponents' vitals. Explosions rocked the enemy positions, leaving dead Mongolian warriors in the wake of the golden fire. Hou Yi fired away with vigour. His eyes glinted with the rush of battle, as he sought to put up his best performance yet.

_I have never seen Hou Yi this motivated. It's time for me to join in. _

Aasaa projected two swords in his hands and prepared to descend to the ground level to fight.

"Master, stay here. You won't make much of a difference in the chaos below."

"I have to fight them. The Finnish soldiers need all the help they can get." Aasaa walked towards the staircase that would lead to the ground level.

"Our enemy is not weak. If you die, I will follow soon after and there will be no-one to save them."

Aasaa tried to continue walking down the stairs. He would not allow himself to sit idly by while people around him fought and died. He had not reached halfway down the first flight when a hand gripped his shoulder.

"Don't stop me Hou Yi. You can fight just fine from up here but I can't. I must go down to help them," Aasaa said, preparing to struggle free.

"Master, I'm going down with you. We fight them together."

Aasaa projected swords one after another as he chopped and slashed at any Mongolian warrior who approached him. Hou Yi danced around the battlefield, leaving arrows in the chest and neck of his enemies as he went. Aasaa combined a freezing gemstone with his projected sword. He used it to freeze his enemies as he fought. When the gemstone ran out of magic, he replaced it with another.

"Hou Yi, catch," said Aasaa as a Mongolian cavalry jumped on Hou Yi to pin him down. He tossed Hou Yi a gemstone.

Hou Yi received it and threw it at the enemy's face. A small explosion blasted him off and into a nearby building, creating a hole as he flew through. He did not emerge.

"Thank you, Master. Let me repay you," Hou Yi said as a particularly powerful warrior locked blades with Aasaa. With a lightning-fast draw, the warrior's chest became a pincushion for Hou Yi's arrows.

Aasaa slid under another foe, driving a sword into him. Aasaa's sword stabbed through him, through the warrior did not die. He drove his pike down towards Aasaa as he lay on the floor. Aasaa closed his eyes, reinforcing his clothes to brace for impact. It did not come. The pike stopped dead, as its wielder took a shot to the head, the golden arrow tip sticking through the back of his skull.

Aasaa got up, projecting 19 swords around him. They formed a sphere of blades around him. With a roar of courage, he sent them out towards the enemy. Each one found their mark, and each enemy fell to the ground.

Hou Yi noticed cavalry rushing towards his Master. He fired arrows at the abandoned buildings to their side, sending debris tumbling over them, forcing them to break formation. The survivors, pinned by rubble and stumbling in confusion, found arrows in their vitals.

Aasaa charged at another wave, golden arrows firing overhead. He clashed his sword with a warrior who wielded an axe. His sword cracked, and he projected another one to drive through the axe-wielder's throat. Aasaa projected another sword and flung it forwards, skewering three in a row.

"These two are friendly, though supernatural as well. Avoid them and advance!" came an order from the commander of the Finnish soldiers stationed there.

Roughly a hundred Finnish soldiers flanked past Aasaa and Hou Yi, firing at the Mongolian warriors. The Finnish army switched to the offensive, as a machine gun position suppressed the Mongolian advance. Several grenades sealed their advantage, as the Mongolian warriors fled in disarray.

Aasaa and Hou Yi left the area, certain the Finnish soldiers here had the situation under control.

"Sir, who are those two people?" A soldier asked his commander.

"We will never know. But one thing is for sure. They are heroes and they are on our side."

Aasaa and Hou Yi arrived at a road junction, the site of a merciless struggle between the Finnish army and the Mongolian warriors. They fought from fortified positions on opposite ends of the junction, engaging in a deadly exchange of bullets and arrows. The sight of the heinous deeds committed by the Mongolians on this battlefield sent a gush of bitter heat flowing through Aasaa's veins. He quivered, swords locked in his hands, desperate to punish them for their dastardly deed. The Mongolian army had put before them a row of captured civilians. The Finnish army only fired hesitantly and sporadically as a result, at sections with no civilians.

Aasaa and Hou Yi circled around the Mongolian front line. Hou Yi drew his bow and released. 9 explosions at 9 key locations of the Mongolian front-line flashed before his eyes. In an instant, they broke the Mongolian army's advantage. Aasaa unleashed a flurry of swords, along with a group of eye golems created by his tigers-eye gemstones, each lidless eye hurling streams of singeing energy at their foes. In support of his Master, Hou Yi shot 4 enemies dead, while Aasaa slammed his weapon into the fifth.

"1 shot, 4 kills. Keep up Master." His self-assured smile all but confirmed he ruled the battlefield, as another salvo of arrows left his bow and found their marks.

The Finnish army made their advance, some of them provided cover fire while the others freed the civilians. Aasaa and Hou Yi held the line for them, slaughtering dozens of the enemy.

"I am Kadan, grandson of Genghis Khan! You are my opponent," an imposing Mongolian warrior mounted on a black horse rode up to challenge them. His cape flowed behind him, blood-red. His immaculate armour glinted from the light of fires strewn across the wrecked junction. It had elements of gold, silver and red.

Grenades bombarded his position, though he did not flinch. He ordered his horse to charge at Aasaa and Hou Yi. Hou Yi fired a stream of golden arrows at him as he approached. Kadan responded by dodging to the left, and throwing a spear at them.

Aasaa projected a sword to deflect the spear. Kadan leaped off his horse and engaged him, now using a polearm, his second weapon.

Hou Yi fired at Kadan, whose armour absorbed the explosive impact. His momentum unaffected, he lunged at Aasaa, and drove his polearm into the ground.

Aasaa observed the mean figure speeding towards him. He dodged under him, and tried to cut him with a sword. Kadan plunged the polearm at Aasaa, forcing him to abort the attack and move out of its way. Aasaa lost his sword in the frantic evasion and instead reached into his pocket for a gemstone.

Aasaa used a freezing gemstone to encase his legs in ice. He then looped behind him and stabbed him with a newly-projected sword. The sword broke against his radiant armour. Aasaa looked at his sword's mangled edge with disbelief.

Kadan swung around, using his polearm's reach to make up for his lack of mobility. Aasaa parried, the clashing of their weapons pierced the air with shrill ringing. Kadan proved too strong, as his strike knocked Aasaa off his feet.

"Fear the mark of the Golden Crow. Piercer Of Nine Suns," Hou Yi said, firing 9 Anti-Unit level attacks so as not to hurt his Master by accident.

Kadan's armour resisted the attacks, though one arrow found his exposed forehead and killed him. He slumped over, blood pouring from his head as he faded into mana.

"Thank you, Hou Yi. I owe you one," Aasaa said.

"Only the best for my Master."

The Finnish commander thanked them for their help. He asked them to explain the Mongolian warriors, seeing that Aasaa and Hou Yi knew what they were doing.

Aasaa did so. "Anyone who is mounted on a horse, or has that kind of armour," Aasaa said, pointing at the armour of a fallen Mongolian warrior near him, "is bad." He gestured to himself now. "Anyone else, not wearing that, is good. We are magi, and we are here to help you."

"Alright. We will try to avoid anyone not wearing that kind of armour. Thank you. You saved 46 civilians and thus we can trust you." the commander said.

Aasaa left the battlefield with Hou Yi. The chance to prove himself as a hero lay inches from his grasp. This was the essence of what he set out to do. Success standing before him, sword in hand, and Hou Yi by his side, he said, "Let's go somewhere else, and do that again."

"I thought you'll never ask."

Aasaa and Hou Yi continued to aid at various battles across the north-eastern section of Helsinki. Everywhere they went, they rescued innocents and dwindled their enemies. They pressed the advantage and hampered Genghis Khan's assault. Aasaa rose above the flames of war as an unstoppable machine. He and his Servant fought like a singular entity, covering for each other as they ploughed through Genghis Khan's army. The praise and admiration of those they saved filled Aasaa's heart with a burning desire to continue, even as his muscles began to ache with exhaustion. Lifelong training with Projection and sword-fighting under Shirou had its limits, yet Aasaa held them back with pure grit and verve.

While fighting at another battlefield, this one a 2-lane road sandwiched by rows of multi-storey buildings, Aasaa found the air saturated with a hungering bloodlust. Genghis Khan rode atop his horse to join the fight. Elite members of his cavalry and archer units flanked him, their weapons drawn and thirsting for the rush of battle. Behind him, several trebuchets ground and heaved. Gears, beams and ropes churned away with primitive lethality, sending debris and ice blocks smashing down on Finland's defenders. They scattered, as Genghis Khan's army brought their wrath to bear. Tendrils of paranoia crawled through Aasaa's mind, his breath grew thin and ragged as his fingernails dug into his palms. His numerous victories, once worn like proud badges on his chest, now paled before Genghis Khan's carnage.

"You have given me so much trouble. In the span of a day, you have ruined my advance. Killing you will not be enough. I will kill a hundred hundreds for every one of my warriors you have brought down."

Genghis Khan raised his scimitar, as his horse picked up speed. The cruel edge of the weapon glowed with red energy. His Noble Phantasm summoned to kill. "Sole Ruler Of The Plains!"

Hou Yi tried to aim a shot at him. He failed to pay attention to a flying boulder of debris hurled by a trebuchet. The boulder smashed into the building beside him, crushing the weakened structure. A shower of bricks fell on him, and he went under a mound of rubble. Aasaa coughed as dust filled his lungs. He projected a shield to absorb Genghis Khan's Noble Phantasm, which sent him flying. An unmitigated impact would have been lethal, as even with the shield, Aasaa smashed into the ground a few meters away, wincing in agony as he placed his hand over his wounds. Bruises and cuts crippled him as he checked to see if anything was broken. Genghis Khan pressed the attack, before an untimely interruption in the form of a tank shell hit him squarely in the chest. A flash of orange engulfed him, transitioning into thick black smoke as the shell exploded in a blossom of fire. He emerged unscathed, causing the Finnish soldiers to retreat in fear.

"That's not possible," one of them said.

"Flail Of God." Genghis Khan raised his flail, and smashed it into the tank. The tank collapsed into little more than scrap metal, each piece mangled and torn. The crew inside survived, unharmed, due to the nature of the Noble Phantasm. Genghis Khan disposed of them with a few strokes of his scimitar.

"Aasaa, these men died for your cowardice and failure, because you refuse to face me."

"Says the one who buried me at the earliest opportunity," Hou Yi said, responding to Genghis Khan with an Anti-Fortress Piercer Of Nine Suns. "You only pick on the weak."

Aasaa ducked, out of the blast range of Hou Yi's Noble Phantasm. He had got sufficiently far away, as Hou Yi focused the damage on Genghis Khan as much as possible.

When the golden fire cleared, Genghis Khan lay on the ground, bereft of his horse. His armour appeared ruffled, though in no way compromised. He got up, and steadied himself, ready to resume the fight.

"Master, not even that can keep him down. We must flee," Hou Yi said.

"Quickly then, take me out of here." Aasaa then became aware of how cold the air had got. A sky of coal hung above them. Temperatures below zero were expected during the night. However, this chill went far beyond that. His breath crystallized as he spoke.

"Rise, defenders of Suomi, the fight is not over just yet," said a man standing on the rooftop. He wore a white parka, his mask now covered in a white mask. His trusty rifle waited in his arms, its mana-disrupting rounds the bane of his foes. Simo Häyhä, the White Death, turned to his old friend. "Hou Yi, you owe me one."


	45. Chapter 45

**Chapter 45: The White Death's Return **

**(Day 11 of the 6th Grail War)**

"Genghis Khan, I have killed 7 of your Generals, but none of their deaths will give me the satisfaction of cleansing you from my land." The air chilled, snow covered the buildings and roads, and the wind howled with Simo Häyhä's growing strength. He channelled the will of the Finnish people, and the frigid strength of his homeland, as he stood proud on Finnish soil.

"I should have finished you Assassin. That was my mistake."

"Your mistake was, and is, that you chose to invade Finland. You are not the first though you will be the last," Simo Häyhä cocked his rifle and fired again.

The bullet deflected off Genghis Khan's skin. He raised his scimitar and leaped towards Simo Häyhä's position, determined to kill him for sure this time.

Aasaa did not witness the rest of the battle, as he and Hou Yi fled the scene.

"Simo Häyhä, the White Death. Nothing will stop him from defending his country," Hou Yi remarked. Aasaa agreed with him as they retreated to recuperate.

Another group of Finnish soldiers arrived to see Simo Häyhä and Genghis Khan engaged in combat. Mongolian warriors entered the fray to aid Genghis Khan.

"Right, like what the other unit said. Those with the armour are bad, and what of the guy in white?" said one of the Finnish soldiers.

"I am Simo Häyhä. By the work of a miracle, I have returned from the grave to fight for you. I fight for Suomi." Simo Häyhä introduced himself to the soldiers. He parried Genghis Khan with his combat knife before jumping backwards to get enough distance to shoot at him.

"What are we waiting for? Shoot the enemy!" The Finnish soldiers opened fire, slaying Genghis Khan's warriors. While Genghis Khan himself enjoyed invulnerability, he let out a frustrated roar as he saw his men collapse under heavy fire.

Simo Häyhä put himself between Genghis Khan and his fellow soldiers, knowing only he could take him.

The Finnish soldiers set up a machine gun position, and gunned down hundreds of Mongolian warriors as they advanced to aid Genghis Khan. Simo Häyhä let loose shot after shot on Genghis Khan. He cursed, as he had no way to hurt Genghis Khan.

Genghis Khan gave the order for his men to unleash more trebuchet projectiles. The Finnish soldiers ducked for cover as their positions collapsed under the pelting of boulders of rubble. Simo Häyhä activated his Presence Concealment, sneaked past Genghis Khan, and killed those operating the siege weapons. Genghis Khan retreated to stop him from disabling his siege weaponry. He flushed with anger, and barrelled down on the saboteur with the force of a sledge hammer.

Another wave of Mongolian warriors emerged to help Genghis Khan. They tried unsuccessfully to fight the Finnish soldiers, who held firm, aim striking true, inspired by Simo Häyhä's valiant effort to stop Genghis Khan.

Reinforcements for both sides of the conflict entered the area. On one end, Finnish soldiers and more tanks gathered to break Genghis Khan's line. On the other, hundreds of Mongolian cavalry and archers. In between them fought Simo Häyhä and Genghis Khan, locked in perpetual combat.

Simo Häyhä disengaged and landed in-front of the Finnish army. Genghis Khan returned to his warriors, taking the frontal position. He suggested they open fire, the air of experience he exuded, the mark of a war hero, persuaded the commanders of the Finnish soldiers to issue the order.

Genghis Khan and his army made their charge against a hail of gunfire and explosives. The impact of bullets chipped the ground, sending sprays of sand into the air, ringing the ears of those nearby. The stink of burning buildings and flesh hung in the cold air. Both sides strived on, unfazed by the scents and sounds of war. They thrived on the battlefield, seeking to rule it. The fighting continued for hours.

**(Day 12 of the 6th Grail War) **

It was now an hour before dawn. Simo Häyhä had fought with every fibre of his being to hold off the enemy. Though not the actual commander of the army, the soldiers recognized his battlefield prowess and looked up to him for courage and inspiration. He laid waste to his foes with a machine gun, borrowed from the Finnish soldiers as the proper counter, instead of a sniper rifle, to swarms of enemies. Speaking of which, the dead Mongolian warriors did not leave behind corpses on death, instead fading away just like how a Servant would when slain. The soldiers recognized this, acknowledging that they fought the supernatural. Nevertheless, and much to Simo Häyhä's surprise, they held the lines, putting up a relentless display of resistance despite injuries and exhaustion. In them, Simo Häyhä saw the same fervour he and his fellow men had when they defended their country in the Winter War. It pleased him to know that even generations after the Winter War, the Finnish Army still had the resilience and spirit to fight against insurmountable odds. Every inch the Mongolian warriors gained cost them 10 times the losses on the Finnish side. No one could have asked for a better, more determined army. Simo Häyhä's heart swelled with pride as the fifth wave of Mongolian warriors broke like twigs against the potent marriage of concentrated gun fire and a thwarting labyrinth of strategically placed rubble, barbed wire and trenches. Watching the remnants of the wave flee from them, the soldiers cheered and regrouped for the next wave. In their triumphant cooperation, Simo Häyhä found the connection and camaraderie he longed for since he returned to life. Though the soldiers here were over a hundred years younger than him, they could never be closer, united by the struggle of war, and the common goal to protect their homeland.

"I tire of your games. Let me finish you once and for all!" Genghis Khan said, ordering another salvo from his trebuchets, now operational again.

Simo Häyhä warned his fellow soldiers to duck for cover. Despite this, there were still casualties sustained as boulders of stone and ice crashed into them. Recovering from the onslaught, they readied their weapons.

Genghis Khan observed his enemy making preparations for a defence. He gave his troops the order to halt, to draw them out. The fight died down, and an uneasy calm set in. After a period of relative peace, Simo Häyhä's regained the use of his White Death, which required him to not currently be in combat. He used his battlefield experience to predict Genghis Khan's next attack, and prepared his Noble Phantasm.

Genghis Khan used the time to gather a massive force of calvary. Now he had the power to break through. Meanwhile, Simo Häyhä kept himself away from combat, remaining in Presence Concealment to use his White Death, waiting for the opportune moment.

Undaunted by the rumble of hooves of next wave, the Finnish soldiers opened fire. Mongolian warriors to faded away after taking too much damage. However, they this cavalry charge dwarfed the previous ones as over a thousand warriors swarmed them in a shredding wave of destruction. Despite sending a large chunk of the invading force to their graves, the Finnish soldiers retreated, giving ground, as their positions got overrun. Simo Häyhä saw the perfect moment. The enemy overextended, already locked in combat with the Finnish army. They charged straight into a trap.

"White Death."

Harsh snow enveloped both armies. The snowstorm did not hinder the Finnish soldiers. Inside, they could still see, and did not suffer any effects from the cold They pressed their new-found advantage and crushed their Mongolian attackers. The turn of the tide caught the Mongolian warriors off-guard. They did not see their deaths coming as the bitter cold and blinding snow storms battered them, concealing the Finnish soldiers who fired murderous shot after shot at them.

"Flail Of God," Genghis Khan managed to deploy, ending the snowstorm. It was too late for his warriors though, as their corpses lay in the ice.

He then unleashed his Sole Ruler Of The Plains, crushing a group of Finnish soldiers. The Finnish soldiers retreated, certain they could not match Genghis Khan himself. Simo Häyhä warned them numerous times over the course of the battle that Genghis Khan himself was invulnerable and extremely dangerous. Thus, the order to retreat did not come out of the blue, and they made haste.

Simo Häyhä held strong against Genghis Khan's bludgeoning attacks. He kept Genghis Khan's attacks at bay with a mixture of dodges and parries. Though smarting with wounds, he continued to press on. Each passing second in combat meant more time for his people to escape.

"What's wrong, Khan? Are you scared to face the hero of this land?" Simo Häyhä taunted. He turned to see the morning sun's rays are beginning to light up the sky. Dawn arrived.

"Enough. You have earned my ire," Genghis Khan said. "Dragon Of The Golden Horde!"

The Dragon arrived. It approached Simo Häyhä cautiously, remembering him.

"Want more of this?" Simo Häyhä called out, raising his rifle with rounds that contained mana-disrupting energies.

The Dragon kept its distance and spewed globules of molten iron. They crashed on the ground, charring it. Smoke came from the mixture of iron and tarmac, filling the air with a nauseating smell. The Dragon unleashed a torrent of iron right at Simo Häyhä, who dodged it. The molten iron flew past him, burning its way through a building behind. It collapsed soon after, as the molten iron ate away at its support beams.

In actuality, the flow of mana in Simo Häyhä's veins ran dry. His strength reached its end, and the sniper rifle weighed heavy in his weakening hands. His legs deprived of swiftness and his eyes lost their courageous glint. He disengaged one last time, and laid down his weapons before Genghis Khan. He did nothing but watch his irate foe approach him, at peace, since he did his best. He even found the gall to smile, folding his arms, daring him to get closer.

Genghis Khan remained silent. He simmered with rage at what appeared to be mockery. Regardless, he kept it in check, and decided to approach Simo Häyhä with caution. Simo Häyhä's behaviour unnerved him, the tell-tale signs of a trap. He ordered his Dragon to retreat to his side.

Simo Häyhä took a few steps forward, slowly. He hid his weakness with a confident pose. Genghis Khan lifted his weapon at him, to scare him back. It created the opposite effect, as Simo Häyhä continued to advance, now only meters from him. His threat ignored, Genghis Khan moved to attack. He raised his scimitar as his Dragon coated it with molten iron, causing it to radiate a searing red light.

As the burning scimitar landed on him, Simo Häyhä's shape dissolved into bluish particles. He took one last look at the Sun, its rays shining over the landscape of his homeland and smiled.

Genghis Khan called upon his Noble Phantasm,"Sole Ruler of the Plains."

A mighty strike smashed Simo Häyhä's position, where he stood no more. Genghis Khan could make out the last expression of his foe's face, the fading smile of a man who fought bravely and died with satisfaction, having achieved all he wanted and given his all. In that way he was Genghis Khan's superior, as Genghis Khan still yearned for his impossible dream. His hollow victory finally earned, Genghis Khan summoned more troops and consolidated his grip over the area, preparing for his next move.


	46. Chapter 46

**Chapter 46: The Angel Of Helsinki **

**(Shiori's Perspective) **

**(Day 11 of the 6th Grail War) **

Florence Nightingale and Shiori spent the 11th day fighting together with several dozen Finnish soldiers on a different front. They found these soldiers cut off from the rest, stuck behind enemy lines, and formed a team to fight their way out.

"We are almost out of here. After this, please bring me to where your wounded are kept. I have a job to do there," Florence Nightingale said to the Finnish soldiers.

"We can bring you there. However, there is a Mongolian encampment in our way," they replied.

Theencampment housed Mongolian General Jebe. He marshalled groups of sentries, ordering them to strike with the fury of a charging bull.

Florence Nightingale drew the Mongolian sentries with grenades and pistol fire. As they pursued her, moving to attack, she retreated, luring them into overextending. The Finnish soldiers with her then opened fire, catching them by surprise. A few of them managed to advance, where a fire orb cast by Shiori set them ablaze.

"We have defeated the first group," Florence Nightingale said. "It's time to destroy the encampment."

Jebe emerged from the encampment with more warriors. Seeing Florence Nightingale, he gave the order to attack. Jebe equipped his recurve bow, and fired from the back while his warriors who wielded scimitars and pole arms took the front. He rode atop a grey horse with a silvery mane.

Florence Nightingale threw a grenade at them, and jumped backwards. She pulled out her pistols, dual-wielding them to fire a spray of shots. Thinning out the army, she activated Angel's Cry and fought them at close quarters. She mixed punches with well-placed pistol fire and the occasional grenade, sending more of her foes to their deaths. Shiori flanked the Mongolian warriors with more fire orbs.

Jebe fired an arrow at Shiori, who was pushed out of its way by a Finnish soldier who had rushed to her aid. The Finnish soldiers fired at Jebe, forcing him to retreat.

"Why do you resist Genghis Khan? He rewards merit and ability. His rule will order this chaotic world," said the General.

"Seems like a pretty cruel world to me." Shiori blasted Jebe with a fire orb, its blue flames turning to orange as tendrils of heat gripped his armour.

Jebe cursed as his armour was singed. He fired another arrow at her, grazing her shoulder. Shiori cried in pain, as blood soaked into her clothing. She clutched her shoulder and cast another fire orb, struggling through the burning sensation on her shoulder.

"Ich zünde, wie ich will!"

This time, Jebe caught the full blast of the fire orb. He dropped his bow as the flesh on his arm became blackened and charred. Jebe refused to accept defeat. He cut off his wounded arm. As it fell off, molten metal poured from his veins, creating a new arm that glimmered in the light. He flexed his silvery arm, making a metallic ring as it moved, and resumed the attack.

Shiori could not believe her eyes. She stared blankly as Jebe advanced towards her, bow reclaimed. Florence Nightingale created a hospital bed using Item Creation, and sent it crashing into her foes. She jumped into the air and slammed her fist down, knocking her enemies away. Though she was a Caster, Angel's Cry offered her a degree of prowess in melee combat. She saw Shiori cornered by Jebe, and intervened with more grenades. Jebe's body was littered with holes, as his flesh was torn by the grenades. He doubled over, waiting for molten metal to fill his wounds before resuming the fight.

Jebe now directed his wrath on his Florence Nightingale. He rode on horseback, shooting arrows as he moved. This tactic proved deadly, as he was on the move whilst still attacking. He had already killed 3 Finnish soldiers when Florence finally knocked him off his horse with a well-placed grenade. Jebe got up and continued to use his bow. He shot at Florence Nightingale, his arrow burying itself in her arm. This arrow was special. It was tipped with a lethal poison, and Florence Nightingale began to convulse.

Shiori used a fire orb to distract Jebe, buying Florence Nightingale the time to use her medicine to heal herself. Now healed, she rose from the ground and shot Jebe squarely in the chest. His armour allowed him to survive the attack, though he was wounded. Shiori poured mana into him, and used her fire orb to transfer away the heat within him, freezing his molten armour solid. His molten metal no longer flowed, putting an end to his healing.

The Finnish soldiers flanked him from the side, unleashing burst fire to corner him. Florence Nightingale finished Jebe off with one last grenade. She held the primed grenade in her hand, and slammed it on Jebe's head, bringing it down like a judge's gavel. Both of them were engulfed by the explosion, which blasted him to pieces which faded into mana, his last war cry interrupted by the flash of fire and smoke. The metal parts of his body came loose, clattering on the ground as he fell over.

Florence Nightingale emerged unscathed, her hand that held the grenade was unaffected. The Finnish soldiers who saw her survive detonating a grenade in her own hand stepped back in shock. They could not fathom such a formidable ally.

With the encampment defeated, Shiori, Florence Nightingale and the remaining soldiers made their way back to their allies. Shiori's wound was healed with a quick touch from Florence Nightingale, who expressed concern for her safety.

By the time they arrived at the makeshift hospital, midnight had passed, ushering the 12th Day of the 6th Grail War.

**(Day 12 of the 6th Grail War) **

Shiori and Florence Nightingale approached the field of injured and dead. Army medics scrambled to treat the wounded. More and more wounded arrived, from Simo Häyhä's battlefront, and the area approached maximum capacity. Florence Nightingale quickened her pace, ready to get to work.

"Excuse me Ma'am." A commander raised his hand to halt her.

"I don't know how you got here, as we have evacuated the civilians from this area, but you have to get out. It is not safe," he said. "I'll have two of my troops escort you."

"We are here to treat the wounded," Florence Nightingale said.

The commander clearly did not recognize her, though he noted the oddness of Florence Nightingale's uniform. Thinking nothing of it, he assured them his medics can handle it, as it would be wrong of him to allow civilian healthcare staff to enter a war-zone.

The Finnish soldiers spoke up for her. They told the commander she was Florence Nightingale, a spirit summoned to help fight against the Mongolian warriors.

The commander accepted the explanation, as he had received reports of Simo Häyhä coming back from the dead, and another group composed of a swordsman and a Chinese archer, them being Aasaa and Hou Yi. He let Florence Nightingale and Shiori through to tend to the wounded.

"Looks like he won't be bothering us now," Shiori watched him leave, relieved they could now proceed to tending to the wounded. She waved at the Finnish soldiers as they bid them farewell.

"It was most fortunate we met those Finnish soldiers. I am honoured to have fought beside them. Their bravery is most admirable," Florence Nightingale said.

Now their attention focused on the vast numbers of wounded in the parade grounds. They stretched as far as she could see.

"This is bad." Shiori's face turned pensive, her eyes burgeoned with discomfort at the sight of their tortured faces. "Do you think we can treat them all?"

"It will take a lot of mana, though we have to try. For their sake." Florence Nightingale's fingers coiled around the handle of her lamp, mana converged in on the incandescent wick, causing the intensity to peak.

She ignited her lamp, and walked across the field of wounded. The lamp's soft soothing glow began to ease the pain and worry of the soldiers. New hope filled their hearts, as their wounds closed. Colour returned to their faces, and some of them began to sit up, now feeling better. They did not know this mysterious woman, though their quavering lips formed the same words. "I saw an angel."

She continued her rounds, stopping only to tend to those still blanched in pain. Her initial wave of healing magic healed those with minor to moderate injuries. However, those who sustained severe injuries needed more attention.

Shiori followed Florence Nightingale, carrying some of her medical equipment. Together, the two of them treated the soldiers who still needed help. From perforated stomachs to blood-filled lungs, from missing limbs to third degree burns, from fractured bones to internal haemorrhage, they worked through the hours. Not a single soldier died that night, as the light of the Lady with the Lamp staved off death and brought salvation.

The soldiers and medics there gaped in awe at the miracle they had witnessed. They each approached Florence Nightingale to thank and praise her.

Florence Nightingale finished her rounds, as dawn began to break. She wiped the sweat from her brow, and turned to the exhausted Shiori. They had accomplished their mission, though their more soldiers required aid elsewhere. Already, new soldiers with injuries streamed in. Such was the endless struggle of a nurse.

Florence Nightingale got up to resume her duties. Shiori tried to follow, though her Servant halted her, insisting she rest.

"You have done enough. You need a break, lest you become a casualty yourself. I will continue treating, and when you awaken, we will head off to the next area of wounded."

Shiori accepted this and sat down. She never felt so tired in her life. Her limbs moved sluggishly, as if made of lead. "Florence, can I have a hospital bed?"

"Haha. Here you go," Florence Nightingale said, materializing a bed for her. Shiori curled up inside.

Watching Florence Nightingale turned to leave, she said, "Will Aasaa forgive me?"

"Because you abandoned them?" Florence Nightingale turned around and took a step towards her.

Shiori sat up, her failure to overcome her fears had hurt Aasaa. She almost felt she deserved to die at sea for abandoning him when he needed her most. "I'm a coward. I can't-" Florence Nightingale cut her off, and clasped her hand around hers. Florence Nightingale's dismayed yet forgiving eyes met hers. "Where are you now?"

Shiori paused, unsure of what answer to give.

Florence Nightingale tightened her grip, the warmth of her hands flowing into Shiori's. "You are saving the wounded. You are on Helsinki, fighting for the same cause as the others."

"But I-"

"Ran? Deserted? Sailed away? What matters is you turned back, and realized fighting is the most important thing now. The only thing now."

Shiori hugged Florence Nightingale before lying back on her bed. Around them, the light remained dim as the smog of war blocked the warm, yellow rays of the morning Sun. "I just want to tell him...how sorry I am, how I want to make things right."

"And he wants to tell you the same." Florence Nightingale patted Shiori's head, stroking her hair. She smiled as Shiori curled to a comfortable position and rested her eyes. "Rest well Master."

Shiori slept for a few hours before two of them set off at noon to lend their aid elsewhere. They found themselves on a rooftop, overlooking a long road in the middle of a city district. A stream of medical transport vehicles drove through, filled with wounded soldiers. They travelled away from the front lines.

The timing could not be more opportune for an ambush. The Mongolian warriors understood this, as they revealed themselves, rising with drawn bows from concealed positions on the rooftops above them. Baidar, another Mongolian general, ordered his archers to pelt the vehicles with arrows.

"We have to save them." Shiori got to her feet, fire orb at the ready.

Screams of terror could be heard from the vehicles in the streets below. Finnish soldiers emerged from several escort vehicles, though they came under heavy fire, their defensive measures proving insufficient.

Florence Nightingale raised her hand, a pale blue light radiated from her palm, as a blue humanoid grew in size behind her. "Despicable of you to attack the wounded," Florence Nightingale said. "Nightingale Pledge."

Baidar watched with frustration as his soldiers ceased hostilities, caught within Florence Nightingale's Noble Phantasm.

"You cannot halt us forever. We will attack the next evacuation when you are gone." Baidar drew his weapon, a flanged mace.

Florence Nightingale observed as the last of the vehicles had fled the scene. The escorting Finnish soldiers saluted her, recognizing she had stopped the enemy. Once they escaped, she deactivated her Nightingale Pledge, ready to fight Baidar.

"We may not be as mighty as you Servants, but never underestimate how far we will go for our Khan." Baidar smashed the ground where Florence Nightingale was moments ago. Florence Nightingale activated Angel's Cry and punched him right in the neck, using her understanding of human anatomy to great effect.

Baidar let out a ragged cough, temporarily incapacitated. Florence Nightingale blasted him with a grenade.

Her pistol rested snugly in her hand, finger on the trigger, ready to send forth piercing shots. She did so, raising the weapon, bullet summoned to kill. Then, it struck. Her arm faltered as a deep, crippling pain thundered in her neck. Following this, burns appeared on her body.

She observed the burns on Baidar from the grenade. They matched hers. Her neck felt as if it had been smashed.

"Understand my pain," Baidar said, using his flanged mace to knock a distracted Florence Nightingale down.

"Shiori, don't burn him. Damage to him will apply to you as well," Florence Nightingale said.

"Then how do we stop him?" Shiori said, lowering her hand, the mana to cast a fire orb dissipated.

"Let me kill him. I will heal myself."

Baidar charged towards Florence Nightingale. She grabbed the handle of his mace as his attack missed her. Manipulating his weapon, she brought it down on himself, causing him to shake as the impact shattered his bones.

"That still applies to you," Baidar said, now coughing blood.

Florence Nightingale activated her Nurse Of Steel, healing all her wounds before a jealous Baidar. Florence Nightingale twisted his arm, disabling him. She healed that injury as well, the moment it applied to her. She jumped over him, and shot him in the back, executing him.

Blood poured from Florence Nightingale's back, as Baidar collapsed and disappeared into mana. She healed through her injuries and returned to Shiori.

"Incredible," Shiori said. "He didn't stand a chance."

"It's going to take more than a coward who attacks the wounded to stop me," Florence Nightingale remarked, keeping her pistol.

Shiori and Florence Nightingale ventured to another battlefield, certain that they secured the stretch of road used for evacuation. As they left, more Finnish reinforcements arrived to fortify the position. The two of them fulfilled their calling, to save lives and fighting evil where it lurked.

"Florence, I think I have decided to change my goal." Shiori turned to speak to Florence Nightingale as they travelled.

"What do you mean?"

"I used to say that when this is over, I would return to a peaceful life in Helsinki. I think that is impossible, as this Grail War has changed me forever," Shiori said, her tone becoming stern and reflective.

"Are you referring to how Helsinki will never be the same after this?"

"No, I mean, I find there is more to life than preserving my safety and I want to continue saving others after this."

This surprised Florence Nightingale, who understood how much she prized survival and personal safety.

Shiori continued, "I felt so good fighting for them today. Saving lives is my true calling. I can feel it."

"Are you sure? Not doubting your resolution, but you have a crippling fear of death." Florence Nightingale noted the change in Shiori's character, wondering if it was genuine.

"I still fear death, and I value safety. However, so many around me faced death today. So many put aside their safety to fight." Shiori knelt before a dead Finnish soldier, his lifeless eyes staring into the cold blue sky. She closed them, and whispered with solemn gratitude for his sacrifice. "I must fight to save others, for I treasure life. I will do all I can to stop death, for it is my greatest fear, and no one should have to live cowering in its looming shadow."

Florence Nightingale saluted Shiori. The Grail War had hardened her. She was no longer the scared girl who snivelled at the brink of hysteria at the first sign of death. Instead, when pushed to the brink, she broke through, galvanized by a solid desire to resist death's embrace. Woe be to the fool who dared to cross her now.

They took a rest as the 12th Day drew to a close, retreating behind the front lines to heal the wounded soldiers. They set off to find Aasaa the next day, on the morning of the 13th Day.


	47. Chapter 47

**Chapter 47: Unlimited Blade Works **

**(Misa's Perspective) **

**(Day 11 of the 6th Grail War) **

Shirou, Rin and Misa spent the entire 11th day of the 6th Grail War assembling all the magi in Helsinki. They now had a small army, 54 strong.

**(Day 12 of the 6th Grail War) **

They scanned the rooftops and scoured the ground level for ambush locations or fortified positions, en-route to Helsinki Old church. The Mongolian armies stationed there threatened to break through and encircle several Finnish defensive hold outs. Retaking the Old Church would also wrestle the Greater Grail from Genghis Khan's hands.

The sky darkened hours ago, the waning moon the only illumination as the war-ravaged street lights only managed an occasional flicker. As they neared the remnants of the demolished Helsinki Old Church, torches and bonfires caught their eye, the stark yellow flames against the backdrop of the dark night rattled as the cold wind blew. The church stood as a semi-fortified caricature, partially rebuilt, with defensive positions set up around it. Gordafarid guarding their front, they set off to attack it.

Misa now carried Don Quixote's sword with ease, her strength reaching its peak. She received power from Don Quixote's ability upon her death. It granted the target, Misa in this case, knightly qualities, both physically and psychologically. For Misa's case, she was now strong enough to fight with a sword, and possessed new-found courage and desire to fight for the good of others.

Shirou and Rin found her cheerful heroism to be endearing, as she inspired the other magi to help fight Genghis Khan. Despite her being a criminal, they had agreed to set that aside in the light of Genghis Khan's invasion. Their small army had faced small pockets of resistance so far. They continued to move towards the Old Church.

Initially, these magi did not see the value in giving their lives for such a cause. Most magi saw harm done to the non-magical society as inconsequential, and only cared for the mission assigned to them, which was to bring Sircolia to justice. Failing which, they planned to retreat from Finland and regroup. Shirou and Rin managed to change their plans by impressing upon them that they would die if Helsinki falls to Genghis Khan. After all, he wanted to rule the entire world, and would crush any who resisted. Keen to preserve the Clocktower and magi society by extension, these magi joined up shortly after.

They approached Helsinki Old Church under heavy fire. Arrows sang through the air as they zipped towards them.

"Rho Aias!" Shirou created a barrier that deflected the arrows. The arrows bounced off, as harmless as rain against this shield. The other magic formed one compact group and advanced behind Shirou's shield.

They trudged along a narrow road, sandwiched by buildings on both sides. Gordafarid leaped over Shirou's barrier and scaled the walls. She engaged a group of cavalry who tried to go around Shirou's Rho Aias. The foolhardy Mongolian warriors tried to charge her. Gordafarid countered with dodges and fanciful footwork, all the while retaliating with jabs and cuts from her scimitar. The cavalry group dwindled in number and fled back to the church.

The magi neared a defensive position where a group of Mongolian warriors armed with halberds defended a trebuchet. Archers still pelted them with arrows. Rin activated a gemstone in her hands spewed forth a jet of fire, aimed at the enemy. It illuminated the otherwise dim road they fought on. The fire scattered the Mongolian warriors, allowing the other magi to use their spells to take out the trebuchet. Misa was about to leap over Shirou's Rho Aias to help with the battle, when he stopped her.

"Misa, it's too dangerous out there. We are surrounded by enemies. If you die, I would not forgive myself."

"I have to fight them. My sword is all I got besides weak light magic."

"Take this Reinforcement." Shirou reinforced Misa's clothing, making it as hard as plate mail, while retaining its flexibility. "Now go and show them Don Quixote's power."

"With pleasure," Misa said, bringing her sword down on a Mongolian warrior armed with a halberd. In a move that mirrored Don Quixote's, she cut his halberd in half and then slashed him down.

Arrows bounced off Misa's reinforced clothing as she provided melee support for the magi. She combined her attacks with flashes of light blinded her foes. They set foot on the church itself. Shirou made sure the archers were occupied with fighting Misa and Gordafarid when he lifted Rho Aias, allowing the magi to fan out and engage the enemy.

One cavalry soldier used the cover of darkness to sneak up on Misa from behind, aiming for the back of her head when he got pierced by an icicle created by a magus nearby. Misa turns around, realizing what had happened and thanked him.

The battlefield shone as a blazing beacon of war in the otherwise darkened city, alight with the burning fires of the Mongolian warriors and the plethora of magics summoned by the magi. Projectiles, familiars, golems, and forcefields summoned to battle as the magi blended their numerous techniques to overwhelm the enemy. Mongolian warriors were frozen, vaporized, burnt, blasted to pieces, and crushed.

As the numbers of Mongolian warriors dwindled, Misa and the other magi re-established a formation in preparation for the next wave. A larger, more elaborately armoured Mongolian warrior approached them with several hundred more warriors behind him.

"I am Subutai, general of Genghis Khan! You will hinder us no longer."

Misa brandished her blade in response, preparing to defend.

Seeing an opportunity to strike, another magus fired a swirling mass of grey energy at Subutai. It scattered when it collided with his armour. Residual energy from the spell fell to the ground, causing the ground to dissolve.

"He resisted my acid? Impossible." The magus prepared another attack, fearing a counterattack.

"I am a master blacksmith. My armour is forged by none other than me." Subutai charged at the magus. Misa protected him with a sweeping cut from her sword.

Subutai summoned a second scimitar. He used one to parry Misa's sword, and the other went to strike at her. Misa's reinforced clothing spared her from his assault. She switched to using the pommel end of the sword and brought its weight to bear on Subutai. Subutai attempted to parry, but the heavier pommel broke his guard.

Reeling from the attack, Subutai ordered his horse to trample her. Misa avoided it by rolling to the side. She blinded the horse with a flash of light. In a disoriented daze, it stumbled, causing Subutai to fall off. Undeterred, he raised his blades and charged after Misa, who rose to her feet, sword ready to deflect him. Subutai was hit by a massive icicle and a crystalline projectile, courtesy of two magi who came to Misa's aid. Their attacks were impressive, yet his armour remained unblemished.

Subutai continued his charge. Misa moved her sword to parry, only to realize he performed a feint attack. He swerved his weapon, and struck her in the arm. Hard. Misa could feel her bones shaking from the impact, though her flesh was not cut due to the reinforcement magic on her clothes. She flinched and took several steps back. She cast another blinding flash of light, interrupting Subutai's momentum. With a sundering blow, she knocked both scimitars out of his hands. Misa followed through with another attack, gripping the middle of her sword to grant her more edge-control and thrusting power. This was also one of Don Quixote's techniques, and it found a chink in Subutai's armour, inflicting a moderate wound. Subutai recoiled, as blood leaked from his armour, dripping on the floor beneath him.

Another magus summoned a golem made of rubble to strike Subutai from behind, propelling him forward, right into Misa's outstretched sword. At the same time, two magi approached Subutai from opposite locations. They channelled a freezing beam and an incinerating beam. It heated and froze Subutai's armour, weakening it. Misa's sword managed to shatter the armour when they met. He received a stab to the chest, as he faded into mana.

Without Subutai's vanguard, the outer defences of the Old Church gave way soon after, and the magi under Rin and Shirou closed in on the Holy Grail.

Isilda waited for them in the catacombs of the Old Church. She had been ordered by her Khan to prevent the Holy Grail from falling into their hands at all costs. With Subutai's defeat, the duty of carrying out Genghis Khan's wishes fell to her. Pointing to the entrance, she gave the order for the 20,000 Mongolian warriors inside the vast catacomb network to attack. Her army raised their weapons and poured out of the catacombs to challenge the magi.

Shirou stared at the battlefield. Mongol warriors were dispersing. Most of the magi were still able to fight, though weariness crept up on them. He walked up to Misa, who rested for a moment, leaning against her copy of Don Quixote's sword. Stashing Kanshou and Bakuya at his waist, he asked her if she was able to continue fighting.

"I can still fight, I mean-" Misa's voice became brittle, she took a long stare at the devastated buildings, and caught sight of a corpse lying amongst the debris. She lowered her head as the carnage before her resonated in her thoughts. "I must."

Shirou sensed guilt in her. Self-loathing. He understood that she held herself accountable for her part in causing this Grail War. Wanting to alleviate her pain, he came closer, and tried to console her. "You're not-"

"To blame?" Misa brought herself closer to him, in need of someone to lean on, and relieve her inner turmoil. The battle had left her drained of energy and most of her emotion, except for lingering guilt, caused by the scenes of destruction before her. "If I had just realized what Sircolia was planning sooner, and reported on him, maybe all this wouldn't have happened."

Shirou gestured at the destroyed buildings, grim caricatures of steel. "You did not cause this. Genghis Khan did." A tear left his eye, his voice carried pain. It hurt him to see her like this. "You are trying to fix this. And you are not alone."

Misa took a deep breath, the storm inside her began to settle. "I must do more then."

The enemy did not give them much longer to take a respite. Soon after they finished speaking, Isilda's troops made their way to the entrance to the catacombs. Their overwhelming numbers rushed forward against the several dozen remaining magi gathered around the Old Church.

Faced with an endless stream of enemies, Shirou and Rin issued to order to retreat, severely outnumbered. Isilda gave the order to pursue.

"Gordafarid, you excel at fighting large groups of enemies, hold them here so we can retreat." Rin instructed her Servant, who obliged. Her scimitar glimmered with hatred for Genghis Khan, and it carried over into brutal strikes that obliterated her enemies as they came.

Isilda emerged to take a more active role in the battle. "What are you doing Lancer?" she said. "Can't you see you are hopeless against this force?"

Gordafarid remained silent, and activated her Noble Phantasm.

"A Lion Eager For Battle."

"Such insolence. Very well, I suppose I will entertain myself with watching you get torn limb from limb. Kill her," Isilda said.

Shirou, Rin and Misa remained as the magi withdrew, before trying to work out a way for them to escape with Gordafarid. As she cleaved and cut, Gordafarid noticed them attempting to aid her. "No, you must escape. I will buy you time. If you can, kill Isilda. She is Genghis Khan's Master, I know it." Her Noble Phantasm allowed her to fight the army of Mongol warriors as her power increased proportionately to the number of enemies she fought. They surrounded her from all directions and attacked, like a vicious pack of wolves. Gordafarid did not waver, and cut them down with ease. Soon, she had slain dozens. More warriors came to replace the fallen. The fight raged on, and Gordafarid reached her hundredth kill, and then her two hundredth. She began to shout out her kills, as an act of defiance towards Isilda, who grew impatient. Her expression changed from a merciless grin to one with crooked brows as she started to doubt if her forces could kill her.

"Like hell we are retreating," Rin told her Servant. "We are going to defeat Isilda."

"If she's threatened, she will call Genghis Khan to her side. And that will be the end of your plan." Gordafarid spoke to Rin, using her connection.

"I have a plan." Rin said to her Servant.

Rin turned to Shirou, who knew what he needed to do. This was a fight that required his all. "Cover me while I recite the incantation," he said to Rin.

"Wait, what's happening?" Misa asked. She felt a rising energy and confidence from Shirou and Rin. It filled her with the will to fight, even as the number of Mongol warriors grew.

Isilda took a small group of warriors, several hundred of them, to attack Rin to cut off Gordafarid's supply of mana, suspecting that Gordafarid's success came from her Master. She soared above then, casting magical wires to pull them towards her warriors. Misa found herself entangled, though she cut herself free before she being dragged into the army.

Rin threw an explosive gemstone at Isilda, which forced her to duck downwards to avoid the blast. Shirou projected a dozen swords, firing them at Isilda, who created wires to block them. Rin's next gemstone hit, destroying her wires.

Shirou closed his eyes, his palm stretched forward to call upon his Unlimited Blade Works. Rin helped by drawing the enemy's attention.

Shirou's Unlimited Blade Works Chant:

_I am the bone of my sword. _

_Steel is my body and fire is my blood. _

_I have created over a thousand blades. _

_Unaware of loss, _

_Nor aware of gain. _

_Withstood pain to create weapons, waiting for one's arrival. _

_I have no regrets. This is the only path. _

_My whole life was Unlimited Blade Works. _

Shirou's Unlimited Blade Works enveloped everyone in an illusory fire that inflicted no heat. Rin, Gordafarid, Misa, Isilda and her army were pulled into his Reality Marble.

Before them shaped a landscape bathed in twilight from the extended horizon. The ground was covered in earth, swords stuck into the ground every metre or so apart, continuing far beyond what the eye could see. The sky burned gold. Clouds fragmented the rays of light, creating the effect of the sky being made of molten metal. Realizing she and her army were now trapped here, she regrouped them to attack her four opponents.

Shirou created Rho Aias again to protect Rin, Misa and himself, while Gordafarid continued to fight, unaffected by the change in location. Thousands of weapons aimed at them, from flails to polearms, the glinting edges of spears, bows, and swords, every one of them ravening for blood.

"Behold my Reality Marble, a field of infinite swords. I ask you, minions of Genghis Khan, do you have enough weapons to face me?" Shirou faced the horde without a splinter of fear. His eyes read the weapons, noting their details within a fraction of the fraction of a second. Dozens of swords formed in the air, then hundreds. That was not all, as even more swords pulled themselves from the ground. Each one unleashed a burst of mana, propelled at their target leaving a cobalt trail behind them as they went. Weapons rained on the Mongolian warriors by the hundreds in a torrent of steel and sparks. Weapons struck and pierced, armour cracked and splintered, and bodies fell to the ground.

Isilda looked at her Command Seals, and then at her foes. Rin smirked, behind Rho Aias, "You can't call Genghis Khan to your side while you're here. It's over."

The blood red eyes carried no fear. Isilda's lips formed a confident grin, as mana flowed into her finger tips, forming thin, white strands. It spun and coiled into a new Wire Hawk.

Isilda felt safe behind her troops, only to get knocked back by a figure made of light. She turned to meet her radiant foe, Misa's light form. Her real body now rested unconscious behind Shirou's Rho Aias. Misa had implanted her consciousness into a being of light, further maximising her combat capabilities as she would no longer feel tired. Not having a physical body also made her invulnerable to physical attacks. This was the special technique Rin had helped Misa perfect back at Suomenlinna, an ability she now used to great effect. Bathed in the light of the gleaming sky, Misa's light form dashed through the battlefield, leaving dead Mongolian warriors in her wake. She cleaved and hewed at all in her way, carving a path towards Isilda.

Gordafarid reached her limits. She had slain countless foes, and yet countless more arrived. Shirou's constant bombardment of swords began to wear thin, as they projected at a slower rate. Meanwhile, some Mongolian warriors attempted to break through Rho Aias. Rin is now the last line of defence, using gemstones and Gandr to keep them at bay.

Shirou created Caladbolg and fired it as an arrow using his bow. His bow was a projection of his as well. Caladbolg condensed into a golden arrow. When unleashed, it vaporized several thousand Mongolian warriors in a devastating wave of fire. Isilda cursed, as she mounted a large Wire Hawk to escape the blast.

Misa's light form continued to attack, relentlessly pursuing her. She ran across the desert plains after her, who flew above. Isilda's Wire Hawk decreased in altitude to use its sickle talons to slice Misa.

Misa parried the talons, only to find herself now trapped in wires. Isilda pulled the sword from her, now in possession of it. Misa's light form glanced at her empty hands, now weaponless, and for the time being, did not pose a threat to Isilda. Isilda returned to the safety of the skies, Don Quixote's sword in her wicked hands.

"You are powerful. With this form you have taken, you are on track to becoming a first-rate magus. However, you are clearly inexperienced as I caught you off guard," Isilda taunted.

Misa's light form returned to her body. She awakened and told Shirou she lost her sword.

"Don't worry, I'll get you another," said Shirou, projecting Misa a new copy as he observed the original in Isilda's hands.

Shirou's Rho Aias came under attack from another group of cavalry. Shirou lowered Rho Aias unexpectedly, Kanshou and Bakuya now in his hands. He threw himself at them, bring a few down with his opening attack. Misa joined him, using her new sword to cleave her enemies in twain. Rin did not allow herself to be left out by this, as Gandr projectiles filled the air, blasting Mongolian warriors off their horses. She finished them off with a mixture of gemstones, as explosions and streams of fire dotted the battlefield. Calling forth the 5 elements, she set streams of water, blasts of wind, spears of rock, and torrents of flame. Ether was the last, the fifth element. Its power fused into the other elements, surging the mana output from Rin, and enhancing the power of the spell. Hundreds of Mongolian warriors fell before the symphony of fire, water, earth and air.

Another use of Caladbolg whittled the Mongolian army to just several thousand that engaged Gordafarid. Shirou kneeled on the ground, out of mana. He panted, realizing he could only maintain Unlimited Blade Works for a little longer. Misa detached from him to hunt Isilda down. Her hunt was short as the overconfident Isilda came to them, atop her Wire Hawk. It attempted to strike with its sickle talons when several projected swords launched at her. She dodged them all, before getting caught in a flash of light from Misa. She flew blindly, into an explosive gemstone used by Rin. This caused her to fall off her Wire Hawk.

Her troops arrived to aid her, only to get blinded and cut down by Misa, who headed dangerously close to Isilda.

"Gordafarid, I command you to travel to Isilda's location," Rin said.

Gordafarid teleported to Isilda, who dodged her attack.

"Gordafarid, I command you to kill Isilda," Rin said.

Gordafarid lunged forward, ready to strike. Her attack fell short as the striking head of an enormous flail smashed her down. Wielded by a particularly strong Mongol warrior, the spiked menace glinted red with her blood like an iron star. The warriors she fought earlier had regrouped, and surrounded her, closing in for the kill.

"Quickly! Kill Shirou, the one with the black and white swords, and we can get out of this hellscape!" Isilda ordered.

Rin wanted to command Gordafarid to kill Isilda again, but noticed they were seconds away from being attacked by the redirected army. She decided to command Gordafarid back to her.

"Forgive me for my mistake, I command you to defend us," Rin said.

Gordafarid returned, scimitar ready, and slashed through the army.

Isilda found herself alone with Misa. Isilda's stolen sword clashed with Misa's duplicate. Isilda was unfamiliar with swords, while Misa inherited Don Quixote's skill. Driven back by skillful counters and precise movements, Isilda compensated with wires from her right hand, while her left hand wielded the sword.

Misa cut through them, and used flashes of light to trick Isilda.

"You know I could just close my eyes, right?" Isilda said.

"How about this?" Misa said, lunging forward and grazing Isilda.

Isilda dodged to the side and slashed Misa's waist, only for her attack to be blocked by her reinforced clothing.

"Your form is poor." Misa caught Isilda in a blinding flash, before grabbing her sword. She then pulled Isilda to her, and attempted to stab. Isilda desperately blocked, her pupils expanding at the sight of the approaching tip.

With a swift flick of her blade, Misa performed a feint, and slashed off Isilda's right hand, where her Command Seals rested. Isilda made a feeble attack with her left hand. Seeing it approach her, Misa grabbed her hand and drove Isilda's own sword into her stomach. Isilda let go of her weapon, her torso spurting blood. Pain wracked her insides as her limbs weakened and bent. Misa moved to support her, showing mercy to a fallen foe.

"Isilda, end the war, kill Genghis Khan. We can still save you."

"I will never betray my Khan," Isilda said. With a last burst of effort, she drove the sword deeper into herself. More blood flowed as she breathed her last choking breath. She did so to ensure that she would not be persuaded to kill Genghis Khan. Misa laid Isilda's body to rest and returned to Shirou and Rin with her sword.

Shirou's Unlimited Blade Works reached its end. The remaining Mongolian warriors returned to Helsinki, with Shirou, Rin, Misa, Gordafarid and Isilda's corpse, sword still in her stomach. Gordafarid sustained numerous stab wounds, with countless arrows and swords sticking out of her body. Rin's command to defend them had expired and Gordafarid could now feel the effects of her injuries. She had done her job, protecting her allies long enough to circumvent the Mongolian army.

"Isilda is dead, though she resisted to the end." Misa said raising her blade at the remaining Mongolian warriors, who retreated as their numbers had dwindled to less than a tenth.

Gordafarid thanked Rin for being a fine master, allowing her to die protecting others, just as she did valiantly in life, before fading away.

Misa removed the blade from Isilda's corpse, as that was her original copy. She laid the replica Shirou projected beside her body. Behind stood Shirou and Rin, who mourned the fact that the Einzbern Family has been sending homunculi to die for generations now. Isilda was but a pawn caught in a desperate struggle by the Einzberns to win the Grail Wars. They laid Isilda to rest on a grass patch near the church. Afterwards, the remaining magi followed them into the catacombs, in search of the Greater Grail.

**(Day 13 of the 6th Grail War) **

Several hours had passed inside Shirou's reality marble. The 13th day arrived, and with it, more Finnish reinforcements. They deployed aerial strikes and drone attacks, causing Genghis Khan's front lines to crumble.

Genghis Khan had lost the window of opportunity, and now an entire nation responded to his violence in kind. Without Isilda, his mana supply ran the risk of drying up, and he had no choice but to expedite his plans or fade into nothing.

He sensed her defeat from deep within the forests of Sipoonkorpi. Stabbing his scimitar into his table, he rose to his feet and cursed his gods. Maddened with rage, he got atop his horse and rode off to battle. His remaining armies had captured half of Helsinki, though they suffered defeats where it mattered. Helsinki Old Church now laid firmly in the grasp of his enemies. Isilda's death and the loss of the majority of his 20,000 strong army was the final blow which destabilized Genghis Khan's chances of victory.


	48. Chapter 48

**Author's Note:**

**Hi everyone,**

**As the fic draws to a close, I **

** I want to say thank you to everyone who has read what I've written. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it. **

**I did receive comments asking for me to write a SYOA fic. In response, I have plans to write a sequel featuring YOUR Characters and suggestions. Please comment on which Servants/Masters you would like to see in a possible sequel for this series, and I'll be happy to include them so long as they make sense. Also, reviews to critique the story are welcome. **

**Once again, thank you everyone!**

* * *

**Chapter 48: The Fire In Their Eyes**

**(Day 13 of the 6th Grail War) **

Aasaa and Hou Yi arose from their resting positions atop a skyscraper as the 13th Day arrived. Constant attacks forced them to establish a safe-zone to rest between battles. They had 2 days of fighting behind them. Another cloud of dust approached, the tell-tale sign of a cavalry group. In Aasaa's hand, shimmering light solidified into Gordafarid's scimitar, a weapon Aasaa grew used to projecting as its advantage against large groups of enemies proved indispensable. With dashing strokes he zipped towards the nearest Mongolian warrior. They recognized him, a testament to his lethal reputation on battlefield. Aasaa dodged their ranged attacks. Flaming arrows chipped the ground, ricochets of granular fragments of rubble erupted where the tips struck. Aasaa dodged them all, as he closed the distance to face over 30 cavalry.

The Mongolian warriors tugged at a rope that sent a wall of rubble collapsing on Aasaa. It landed right on top of him. Their trap sprung on the reckless and aggressive hero, who assumed this battle resembled the others, simple brawls he could overcome with ease. Aasaa brought his hand to shield his body from the falling rocks, descending into a plume of dust which cleared to reveal a bloodied pile of debris. Aasaa's broken arm stuck out of it, the only recognizable part of his mangled corpse.

"Did you really think we would fall for that?" A voice spoke from behind the cavalry. Hou Yi stood with his Piercer Of Nine Suns beside Aasaa, alive and well.

The corpse in the rubble vanished, revealing to be an illusion. Aasaa set that up earlier, taking notes from Rin's illusion that guarded his apartment in the Clocktower. He smiled as he judged the Mongolian warrior's shocked reactions.

A golden flash, followed by a wave of heat, as bright, effervescent flame blanketed the warriors. When the dust settled, only a scant few remained. Aasaa leaped from the building and struck one dead with his projection of Gordafarid's scimitar.

The rest of the enemies offered little resistance. Aasaa drove his Projection of Gordafarid's scimitar into the last Mongolian warrior on the battlefield who let out a roar of defeat as he collapsed. Another victory to add to his name. Hou Yi himself ran out of space to add notches to his bow. Their exploits on the front line had no value. Aasaa lost track of how many times he won. Genghis Khan's forces continued to come, no number of losses inflicted on their ranks gave them pause. Pain and death did not scare them, defeat only motivated them to try harder. He once held unflinching certainty that his conviction trumped all others. The battles he faced only proved that his foes had the same strength of will.

The endless fighting wore away at his conviction, and he knelt on the ground, shouting to release his frustration.

_What use did slaying 30 of them have when thousands more streamed into Helsinki every hour? _

His inability to end the war unshackled a fear he had fought to hold back until now. The thoughts of Shiori's departure haunted him. He had not seen it coming, the end of their alliance, and more importantly, friendship.

"Master, is anything the problem?" Hou Yi put down his bow.

"I don't know-" Aasaa drove his scimitar into the ground in frustration. "I just feel angry, unsatisfied. I can't stop thinking about what happened to Shiori. Is she safe?" Aasaa's tired hand let go of the grip of the scimitar, its edge caked in dirt and blood.

"You let her go when you knew without Florence Nightingale's Noble Phantasm, we would have less of a chance. Why?"

"Forcing her to fight would not be right. The values of a hero must remain, even if everything else is lost." Aasaa stared into the distance, wondering if he should have tried harder to change her mind.

_So much destruction, so many places torn by chaos, so many more fights to go. _

"We will find her, after this is over, and when you do, you will have the glory of slaying that son of a bitch." Hou Yi placed a firm hand on his shoulder, inviting him to rise to the challenge. The rays on the Sun illuminated their outlines and cast shadows behind them. Aasaa gritted his teeth and got to his feet, the wrecked roads before him bathed in the glow of the morning Sun. Their objective stood before them. They had to strike deep into Mongolian territory, and bring Genghis Khan down.

Aasaa and Hou Yi found another perch to observe from. The view from there granted them vision over the entire front line. With tense muscles and a tight grip on his weapon, Aasaa waited for his Servant to finish surveying and report. He expected another battle, or someone in need of saving. Hou Yi instead returned with a disbelieving smile. "Master, Shiori, and Florence Nightingale are a distance away. They have returned to fight." His voice carried the rush of victory.

_What are they doing here? Did they turn back? _

Hope returned to Aasaa. They had a chance now and made their way to them at once. Now getting closer, Aasaa smiled as Shiori burned away her foes with fire orbs while Florence Nightingale shredded groups of Mongolian warriors with grenades, gunning down the survivors. They fought with incandescent hearts, for defeat was not an option.

They fought against Mongolian general Chilaun and his warriors. Florence Nightingale sent another group of them flying with a grenade, though Chilaun proved to be a vicious foe. He sent cascades of rocks tumbling down upon them.

"Where are these rocks coming from?" Shiori ducked to the side, hands covering her head.

"Item Creation. Get out of there!" Florence Nightingale pulled Shiori to safety as boulders collapsed on her position.

Aasaa gave Hou Yi the order, and he charged his Noble Phantasm. "Piercer Of Nine Suns."

A stream of light left his bow, and found its way to Chilaun. His body glowed with fire as the energy of the Noble Phantasm rippled through his body. His remained clattered to the ground, reduced to little more than ash.

"Too easy." Hou Yi slid down from his perch. He fired arrows as he went, at the remaining Mongolian warriors. They made a suicidal charge, and received multiple arrows embedded in their bodies.

Aasaa emerged from the building, having climbed down the long way.

"Nice of you to claim all the credit." Florence Nightingale folded her arms. "You did not have to fight that." She pointed to the remains of massive golem, made out of rocks. Its broken body rested on the ground, tucked under a mound of rubble.

"Heh, I guess you have a point," Hou Yi conceded.

"Aasaa, I'm so happy to see you. What do we do now?" Shiori ran to Aasaa and hugged him. "I'm so sorry for all the things I said. I was selfish, and Simo Häyhä still came to save me."

Aasaa remained silent in the embrace, as tears flowed down her face, her emotions running free. Words failed him, as he reunited with her. The warmth of her jacket melted away his weariness. Shiori's spirit prevailed against the horrors of the Grail War, and overcame the fear of death. With her at his side, he felt ready to storm Genghis Khan's headquarters. Anything seemed possible.

They moved to another battlefield, where Florence Nightingale sensed a disturbing mana signature. In a rat filled alley, dozens of Finnish soldiers lay dying in heaps. Their bodies had black lesions and they were vomiting. Shiori inspected one of the infected soldiers. His skin tore easily and blood flowed from it.

"I-what is this illness?" Shiori's eyes widened with trepidation.

Florence Nightingale took a closer look. The large number of rats brought her to a solemn conclusion.

"Florence, you know what it is?"

"I'm afraid I do. This is something your era has never had to witness."

"Get behind me." Aasaa had a sword in his hand, and behind him, Hou Yi had his bow drawn. Shiori and Florence Nightingale fell back.

"I dared not dream I would draw you here," a shadowy figure spoke.

A Mongolian General stepped forward, revealing himself to them. His armour smeared with blood and puss. Pestilence oozed from the chinks in his armour. He wore a complete war mask, shaped in the visage of a terrifying warrior.

"What are you?" Aasaa raised his scimitar.

"No one remembers what happened to the Il-Khanate." A forlorn voice called out to them. It echoed through the blood-soaked walls.

"Your section of the Mongolian Empire fell to the plague," Aasaa said, remembering the research he conducted.

"So you do know. I am Abu Sa'id, last ruler of the Il-Khanate."

"Free these people now," Florence Nightingale spoke.

"Have you not noticed that they are not restrained? I did not need to remove their weapons. Such is the lethality of the plague." Pained noises called out for help, or the relief of death. It accentuated his statement, as the curse of suffering sucked life from all within its clutches.

"Then we will stop you," Shiori spoke, raising her palm, and clasping her other hand around her wrist.

Hou Yi fired an arrow at him. It dug into his shoulder, causing black, thick blood to ooze. Abu Sa'id ripped the arrow out, allowing his blood to flow. He smeared blood over his mask, and then stretched his hand forward to command a swarm of rats towards them. Shiori burned them as they came. The rats became balls of fire that scurried in disoriented masses before fading into mana.

Kneeling beside on of the dying, Florence Nightingale tried to cure him, only for the infection to come back seconds later. "We must kill the one casting this." Florence Nightingale apologized to the dying soldier who gripped her, his pock-marked hands refusing to let go of her. He let out a hacking cough as his clouded eyes rolled backwards. With a final breath, he collapsed and died. The other sick ones would soon follow.

Seeing the Finnish soldiers dying of the Bubonic Plague drove Aasaa to action. He charged towards Abu Sa'id, eager to cut him down. He had to save the infected. His opponent took out a shield and a scimitar. Abu Sa'id moved sluggishly, debilitated by disease. His attacks posed little threat to Aasaa, who with rapid strikes, tore and dented his armour.

Abu Sa'id opened his war mask, revealing a face mutilated by disease. He cursed Aasaa, pointing an infected finger at him. "Rot away." He sprayed infected blood at Aasaa. The black blood stank of all things foul, forcing Aasaa several paces back.

Hou Yi shot him in the head with an arrow once his war mask was off. The Mongolian general did not flinch, even as an arrow stuck from his forehead. The rotting figure continued to lumber towards Aasaa, preparing another bout of infected blood. Hou Yi activated his Noble Phantasm, intending to use its golden flames to purify the pestilence.

Meanwhile, Shiori and Florence Nightingale fended off increasing numbers of rats.

A second Mongolian general approached them from behind, blocking the alley's exit.

"I am Hulagu Khan, grandson of Genghis Khan. First ruler of the Il-Khanate."

He dual-wielded axes, each one glowing orange. He too wore the same war mask as Abu Sa'id, though the rest of his armour did not carry the taint of disease.

Hulagu Khan unleashed a torrent of fire from his position, nearly catching Hou Yi in it. From the other side, Abu Sa'id continued to spray infected blood. He coughed out a rat from his mouth and threw it at Aasaa.

The sight of a rat, fur coated in dried blood and other fluids disgusted him. Dead air filled his nostrils with the scent of decay. Shadows darkened and the bloodied walls seemed to be closing in, while the coarse moans of the dying infected ripped away at his courage. Aasaa found himself facing psychological and biological warfare at its worst. His stomach churned as his grip on his sword loosened. He felt numb and began to break out in a cold sweat, succumbing to disease and fear.

Hou Yi engaged Hulagu, avoiding his fire attacks while responding with strafing shots of arrows. His performance remarkable in-spite of the disadvantage of fighting a cramped alley as a ranged Servant. Fire collided with the brick walls on each side of the alley, sending fragments ricocheting at Hou Yi. He cursed and spat out powdered brick from his mouth.

Abu Sa'id closed in on the weakened Aasaa, who had started to vomit. He fell to his knees, sword falling from his twitching fingers. The alley grew darker, as his vision began to go blurry.

Hulagu caught Hou Yi and sent him falling to the ground, singed by a particularly strong fiery attack.

Shiori and Florence Nightingale remained. "We must take Aasaa and Hou Yi and run," Florence Nightingale said.

"No, I have an idea," Shiori said.

"Whatever it is, do it quick before we get overrun."

Shiori closed her eyes, clasping her wrist, and she opened her palm.

She channelled mana, spreading it all over Abu Sa'id and Hulagu. Abu Sa'id grabbed Aasaa, his gloved hands coiling around his neck. Hulagu got within an arm's reach from them, ready to unleash a searing inferno.

Mana infused into both Generals. When the fire came from Hulagu, Shiori cast her fire orb, right within Abu Sa'id.

"Ich zünde, wie ich will!"

Shiori stole the heat from Hulagu's fire torrent and poured it into Abu Sa'id. Hulagu took a step back as she siphoned his fire away. "What is this?" He responded by increasing his fire, only to watch it drained again, like before.

She set Abu Sa'id ablaze. His insides cooking within him. He opened his mouth to scream, only for a stream of fire and melted flesh to pour out. He collapsed soon after, his body turning to ash within his armour. His scattered pieces of armour rattled emptily on the ground.

Hulagu watched as his hand froze over. The ice spreading up his arm, turning his flesh solid. The cold grasp of her spell drained of every bit of heat within him. He stumbled backwards, moving awkwardly as his tried to position his frozen arm. Hou Yi regained his footing, healed by Florence Nightingale. An arrow shattered Hulagu's arm, causing him to scream in shocked agony. Another salvo of arrows ended his life.

Aasaa regained consciousness as Florence Nightingale poured healing magic into him. The Finnish soldiers were healed next, vitality returning to them as Abu Sa'id's virulent spell faded with his death.

"I see an angel," said one of the soldiers, as his eyes opened once more.

Shiori helped Aasaa to his feet. "I did it, I killed both generals with my fire spell."

Aasaa smiled faintly. The news she had mastered her Magecraft filled him with accomplishment. He could hardly believe that the accomplished magus standing before him, fresh from mastering her Magecraft, once cowered in fear and regarded herself as incapable of fighting.

Shiori now stood proud, as a fully trained magus. Aasaa smiled, elated that his efforts paid off. They rested for a while once all the infected were taken care off and sent back to safety. Hope of victory returned to them. Shiori's determination today, showed him he would not be facing Genghis Khan alone. For all his cruelty and destruction, Genghis Khan failed to break them. Shiori returned braver than ever, Simo Häyhä came back to lead the armies, Misa carried on Don Quixote's legacy. Every time he struck them down, they got up stronger. Their steadfastness refused to fade or falter, and looked forward to striking down Genghis Khan once and for all.

Elsewhere, at a devastated part of the city, Genghis Khan arrived at the front-line followed by more generals. He ordered Qasar, a master bowman, to hunt down the other Masters, while he would go on to break the Finnish army completely. His army swept across the streets of Helsinki, advancing along a wide front. Arrows and trebuchet projectiles rained from behind, just ahead of the advancing horde.

Genghis Khan's Flail Of God activated. He smashed through fortification one after another, as his army followed him. Entire defensive lines crumbled before his Noble Phantasm. Trenches closed back, walls tumbled down. Makeshift bunkers and hold outs caved in. Nothing could withstand his Flail Of God.

With no fortifications, the Finnish army lost their defensive advantage, and found themselves forced into a constant state of retreating. The Mongolian army advanced south, towards Helsinki Old Church.

Hou Yi watched all this unfold from atop a lookout. What he saw made him tense up and recoil. "We need to run. Genghis Khan has emptied the forests in the distance. His entire army is on the move."

Aasaa's expression turned grim. Genghis Khan ordered his army to raze the entire city. For all their efforts, they only succeeded in infuriating him. Genghis Khan needed all Servants dead. To draw them out, he unleashed his entire army upon the city, causing the death of innocents, and wanton destruction. Aasaa understood this, and prepared for the inevitable show-down with Genghis Khan.


	49. Chapter 49

**Chapter 49: The Golden Crow Soars **

**(Day 13 of the 6th Grail War) **

Shirou stood before the Greater Grail. There it was, the artefact that caused so much death and destruction. It destroyed his former life in the 4th Grail War. It set him on a collision course with fate in the 5th Grail War. Now, it caused Helsinki to fall to ruin in the 6th Grail War.

The other magi gathered around, to examine it. The mana of 5 Servants now resided within. Shirou discussed with the magi, and found out that the restrictions on the Holy Grail could be restored once the mana inside is depleted. To achieve this, the current Grail War must first end, and the wish used by the victor. Only then would the Holy Grail be stable enough to be restricted.

On the other side of the room, a magus raised an accusing hand at Misa. "I recognize you now! You are the one who killed Lord El-Melloi The Second. As a member of that house, I will slay you where you stand."

Rin placed herself between Misa and the magus."Misa Sajyou is under investigation at the moment. You cannot touch her until a verdict is given."

"What's there to decide? She killed someone, and must die.".

Misa knelt before him apologizing once again for being involved in Lord El-Melloi The Second's death. Rin sensed mana building up on the magus' fist. Not at all intimidated, she held her ground. "There's a whole list of mitigating factors to be considered, so hold off your judgement until then." Rin's mana filled the surrounding air as she stared down the magus.

The magus relented. He could not continue arguing with Rin, the head of the Tohsaka Family. Her Family owned numerous magical patents in the Clocktower among other things.

Rin turned to Misa, helping her dry her tears. "The guilt of what you did has never left you."

"No, it has not. I don't think I will be the same again. Where do I go from here?" Misa said, between breaths as she calmed down.

"You will almost certainly be ruled innocent. Sircolia manipulated you from a young age, and you had no idea. Furthermore, you played a key role in this Grail War." As Misa calmed down, Rin decided to tell her one last important factor. "You are the last living member of his inner circle. You can help us identify the suspects, and distinguish between the guilty and those forced into his service."

Misa agreed with Rin, who then offered to be there for her after the Grail War, seeing she would be alone. With eyes filled with tears of joy, she embraced Rin and Rin embraced her. At that moment, the bond between them sealed. Shirou found them, and smiled at their loving embrace, heart welling with empathy for Misa, and a thought came to his mind. A crazy one, though they could make it work. Before he could dwell on it further, the news of an imminent attack arrived.

"Everyone, the Mongolians have returned to the church. They are trying to breach our forcefield sealing the entrance to the catacombs," a magus ran in to alert the others.

"We have a battle to fight," Shirou said.

"We'll take them," Misa said, grabbing her sword.

Shirou and Misa fought as melee fighters against the Mongolian assault group. They were led by Chagatai Khan, second son of Genghis Khan.

Shirou cut down a Mongolian horseman with Kanshou, while Bakuya kept his weapon at bay. A Mongolian archer aimed for him when Misa cleaved him in two, sending him dissipating into mana.

The other magi repelled the rest of the Mongolian warriors. Shirou threw his weapons at two of his enemies, killing them both. A third rushed at him, thinking him weaponless. Shirou projected another set of Kanshou and Bakuya, slashing the surprised warrior across the chest.

Chagatai's scimitar clanged against Misa's sword. Chagati unleashed a burst of wind from his scimitar, blowing Misa away. She tumbled to the ground, her sword clattering out of her hands.

"Gandr," Rin said, appearing from behind. Chagatai sustained damage from the orbs, though he regained his balance and went for her. Shirou got in the way and parried his attack, defending Rin while she threw a blinding gemstone. Misa returned, slamming her sword into Chagatai's chest, throwing him off his horse.

A war-horn sounded behind them. Ogedei Khan, the second Great Khan, third son of Genghis Khan, had arrived with another wave.

The horn filled Chagatai with new energy. He got up, ready to resume fighting.

A Finnish division entered the battlefield. "Remember, target those with the armour and horses. The others are friendly," the commander instructed. The arrival of the Finnish soldiers turned the tables, as their gunfire pierced the armour of the warriors. Many warriors faded into mana, and Ogedei had to step in. He blew his war-horn, creating ghostly horses and bulls that charged at the Finnish soldiers, running them over and trampling them. He had summoned a stampede.

Misa engaged Chagatai again, slamming the pommel into Chagatai's scimitar. He unleashed another wind blast, only to be slashed by Shirou from behind. Rin used Gandr again, aiming for his hand. She disarmed him, and Misa finished him with a forceful thrust, running him through with her sword.

"There is nothing you can do to stop us. We will be victorious." Ogedei unleashed another stampede, crushing dozens of Finnish soldiers in its wake. The ghostly animals kicked up the dust and when it settled, broken and bleeding bodies remained.

"We have to stop him," Misa said, turning to Rin and Shirou for leadership.

"Rin, use Caladbolg to run him through. I will block the stampede with Rho Aias. Misa, engage him in your light form."

Misa found a safe spot, under protection from another magus, she summoned her light form. Her real body fell unconscious.

Rin used a freezing gemstone to freeze Ogedei's arm, before using Gandr to draw his attention. He blew his war-horn, summoning his ghostly stampede.

"Rho Aias!"

Shirou's shield blocked the stampede, routing the animals away from him. Misa rushed past the animals, in light form, and slashed Ogedei. He drew his scimitar and engaged her. Misa was forced on the defensive, as Ogedei proved to be a skilled fighter. She parried a sideways cut, followed by an uppercut. She brought her sword down on his uppercut, unleashing a shower of sparks. Rin leaped over Shirou and his Rho Aias, and drove Caladbolg into Ogedei's exposed back, killing him.

Safe in the catacombs again, Misa sat down with Rin and Shirou, discussing more about her situation. Their conversation drifted to deeper topics, about family and their life in Fuyuki.

**(Day 13 of the 6th Grail War)**

Aasaa and Shiori's group rested for several hours a few blocks away from a recent battlefield they had returned from. They had aided the Finnish Army in breaking the Mongolian forces in the area. The helmet of another defeated General lay on the ground, fading slowly into mana. As the Sun dipped below the horizon. Nightfall of the 13th Day. Hou Yi got up, beckoning the others to rejoin the fight. As he did, an arrow found his back.

"Shhh. Hold still, Genghis Khan is on his way." Qasar stood before them, atop a white horse. His orange cape fluttered in the wind as he drew his bow again.

Hou Yi fell over, clutching his chest. Bright red blood spurted out from it.

Shiori saw the spurting of bright red blood and diagnosed instantly. "One of his arteries has been hit. He needs aid immediately."

"I will use my Nightingale Pledge."

"No save it. I will occupy him," Aasaa said. "If Genghis Khan is coming we need that for later."

Two swords materialized in Aasaa's hands. He reinforced his clothes and sprinted towards Qasar.

Qasar responded with the logical action for a person with a ranged weapon. He retreated, maintaining the distance between him and Aasaa. Aasaa found himself unable to continue pursuing him. An arrow found his leg, piercing through the reinforced clothing.

Aasaa projected more swords, launching them at Qasar. Realizing Aasaa had a ranged attack, Qasar called his fellow warriors to swarm Aasaa's position.

Hou Yi was back on his feet. He gripped his bow tightly, eyes glinting with fervour. He was not going to sit this battle out.

"The God Of Archery almost killed by an arrow? is this some cruel joke?" Hou Yi shouted to Qasar, who responded by aiming for Aasaa. Aasaa was fending off Mongolian warriors with his swords.

Hou Yi showered Aasaa's opponents with arrows, then charged his Noble Phantasm. Qasar closed the distance, and shot Aasaa again. Aasaa parried the arrow with a projected sword, though it broke after that.

"Piercer Of Nine Suns." Hou Yi's Noble Phantasm rushed to meet its target. It homed in on him, nothing would stop it now. It was the mark of the Golden Crow.

Qasar fell to pieces, blasted by the arrow. However, Qasar then emerged, climbing from one level below to behind Hou Yi. Raising his bow, he shot Hou Yi from behind, landing a successful hit.

"How are you still alive?" Hou Yi managed to say, coughing as the arrow pierced his back.

"I could tell you. You won't live for much longer. I can create clones of myself."

As he said, 8 more of copies of himself emerged from various hiding places. They were positioned to fire from different angles, making defence futile. Aasaa was checkmated, as was his wounded Servant.

Florence Nightingale and Shiori arrived, ready to lend their assistance. "Nightingale Pledge."

Qasar's clones ceased hostility, and lowered their weapons. She healed Hou Yi, and he brought Aasaa and Shiori to safety. Florence Nightingale waited for him to leave the borders of her Nightingale Pledge. After he did, he charged up his Piercer Of Nine Suns, and when he was ready, Florence Nightingale lifted her Nightingale Pledge. Aasaa and Shiori watched on as his golden stream met their marks and killed Qasar's clones.

"Congratulations. You have just used up your only trump card."

Florence Nightingale turned in horror to see Genghis Khan, and beside him, the real Qasar.

"Florence Nightingale, I command you to my side. We retreat at once!" Florence Nightingale vanished before Genghis Khan's eyes, appearing a distance away, beside Shiori who had one command seal left.

Aasaa and Shiori were now transported away by Florence Nightingale, while Hou Yi found a new hiding spot, preparing his arrow once more. He had a plan.

"We did not anticipate that," Qasar remarked to Genghis Khan, who cursed them for being cowardly. Qasar then handed him the replica of Misa's blade, recovered from Isilda's corpse.

Qasar was about to mount his horse to join Genghis Khan in hunting them when nine arrows pierced him, sending him falling into the streets below. Genghis Khan turned to the assailant. It was Hou Yi, standing a distance away. He made no sound, and ordered his horse to take him there. Quickly.

Hou Yi did not have enough time to perform what he needed. He spoke to Aasaa though his connection. "Master. You have one command seal remaining. Use it to empower me. I will send Genghis Khan to the depths of hell with 9 Anti-Fortress arrows."

Something deep within Aasaa clenched itself when he heard those words. Sacrificing that command seals meant the end of their time as Master and Servant. The reminder that their friendship as Master and Servant would come to an end pierced his chest.

"Alright. Hou Yi, with my command seal, I command you to draw all the mana you can from me and unleash a blast worthy of the gods to strike Genghis Khan down." The last command seal faded from Aasaa's hand. He shrivelled, drained of mana. He would have collapsed, if not for Florence Nightingale.

While she treated him, the entire city was bathed in a golden light as Hou Yi unleashed his most powerful attack yet. The glow lasted for several minutes, filling their view with its light. The air was saturated with residual mana. As the power of the Noble Phantasm finally faded, a giant crater was revealed, where Genghis Khan once stood. Hou Yi approached the crater. As he looked from the edge, a hand reached out from beneath the rubble in the crater.

"Flail Of God."

The ground beneath Hou Yi broke, and he was brought into the crater to join Genghis Khan, who was still alive.

The Finnish army did not cease their attack. As the night went on, the Mongolian army faced their full might. It had taken them about 2 days, but they now responded with all their military power. Naval ships delivered reinforcements and supplies. Tactical bombers ruled the skies, carpeting groups of Mongolian warriors with bombs. Artillery and tanks provided unmatched firepower. Paratroopers wreaked havoc on Mongolian supply chains. Trebuchets shattered and splintered by consistent mortar fire and air-strikes.

The Finnish army pushed the Mongols out of Helsinki. Thousands of losses were inflicted within the first few hours of concentrated fire. Reinforcements came from all over Finland. They surrounded what was left of the Mongol army in Sipoonkorpi. The remaining Mongol generals retreated to their last defensive positions, as their army dwindled. Facing overwhelming response from all sides, the Mongol army finally folded before the Finnish forces. Without Isilda's mana, that was the best they could accomplish.

There will be time for questions. To ask where these supernatural warriors came from and seek for a worthy compensation for all the lives taken by Genghis Khan. However, that time would only come later. Now, the people of Finland banded together and drove the invaders from their land. This was their finest hour, as the war drew to a victorious close.

Aasaa observed the turn of the tide with Florence Nightingale and Shiori. Overhead, they could see Finnish planes filling the sky. Florence Nightingale saluted them as they flew past. They set off to find Hou Yi.

Genghis Khan's window to claim victory was rapidly closing. He had lost the majority of his army, and was cut off from them as he battled Hou Yi in the crater.

"Your men are dying. And you're next," Hou Yi said, as he tried to avoid Genghis Khan's rage-filled onslaught. Genghis Khan burned through his mana like a roaring furnace. His abilities were every bit as costly, and they were potent. He was beginning to feel its effects as he became sluggish and weakened.

"After I kill you, there is only one more Servant left. The Greater Grail is all that matters now." Genghis Khan brought his scimitar down upon Hou Yi, crushing him with Sole Ruler Of The Plains. Hou Yi was defeated, though he was sure it was not yet the end for him, as three people approached the edge of the crater.


	50. Chapter 50

**Author's Note:**

**Well, this is the final chapter. Thanks for all your support. I hope the last fight against Genghis Khan meets your standards. I still have stuff to right, some supplementary chapters and maybe even a sequel series, but that depends on you guys. Please leave comments and reviews if you want to express further support for my fic, or if you have any plot/character ideas. Thanks for everything! c:**

* * *

**Chapter 50: The Final Stand**

**(Day 13 of the 6th Grail War) **

Aasaa surveyed the crater, taking note of its features, planning the fight ahead. "I saw how an entire country united to fight the enemy. Magi and non-magi, living and heroic spirit, everyone banded together." Images of the war played in his head, as he remembered the countless people who fell. "We can't let everyone down. We won't. We must win, for those who died, and those who still live."

Shiori and Florence Nightingale gathered their mana in agreement. They were ready to fight.

"Today I witnessed the rise of heroes all around, in response to the march of tyranny. Today we will attain victory." Aasaa raised his fist at Genghis Khan. A sword formed in his hand. Now, Aasaa imitated his signature pose. "It is the least we can do for those still living. We fight for them all today. Here and now. This I swear, for I am Aasaa Emiya, a hero." With that, they descended into the crater to fight for the fate of the world.

As his allies approached, Hou Yi drew his bow. "Now let's go kill that son of a bitch."

Aasaa now addressed Genghis Khan personally. "For those who died, nothing we do to you will come close to paying back. Not even a hundred hundred deaths."

Genghis Khan said nothing in response. He hid his emotions and drew his weapon, no longer on a horse. Hou Yi's massive attack had deprived him of one. The dismounted Rider ran at Aasaa, on his two feet. They locked blades, sparks flying as Aasaa's projected sword met his scimitar.

Genghis Khan made a forward stab. Aasaa knocked it to the left. He grabbed Genghis Khan's sword arm, and tried to slash him. Genghis Khan responded with a kick that sent him flying.

Hou Yi unleashed a stream of arrows to cover Aasaa's retreat. It only slowed Genghis Khan, who raced at Hou Yi, ready to strike. Shiori unleashed a rush of fire from a fire orb, distracting Genghis Khan. Florence Nightingale finished the sequence by throwing a hospital bed at him.

Aasaa felt that a window was now open. He projected swords and sent them flying at the walls of the crater. They dug into the earth, creating a series of steps. "Hou Yi, climb up and fire at him from a safe distance."

"Yes Master." Hou Yi leaped along the pit's walls, from sword to sword. He stood above the battlefield and readied his next salvo.

"Shiori, take my pistol. I will engage him at close range." Florence Nightingale balled her fist, Angel's Cry in effect.

"Understood, I will support Aasaa." Shiori gripped her pistol. She fired at Genghis Khan until he turned around. Being immune did not spare him from the loud clanging of her bullets colliding with his helmet. Shiori conjured a fire orb, sending it at Genghis Khan, who used his scimitar to deflect it. Several arrows bombarded Genghis Khan from behind, knocking him forward several paces, just where Aasaa needed him.

Aasaa dropped several large swords to form a cage around Genghis Khan. "Trace On!" He raised a projection of Genghis Khan's scimitar.

Aasaa recalled the sacrifices of his friends, the war-torn streets of Helsinki, the traumatized eyes Shiori had when she narrowly evaded death. All the pain that Genghis Khan inflicted to those around him. It gave him reason now, as he prepared to unleash the ultimate attack, a projection of his own sword. He unleashed a Broken Phantasm, sacrificing his copy of Sole Ruler Of The Plains in an all out attack. Genghis Khan felt the full force of the attack, flinching but ultimately resisting the attack, using his Man Of Iron. Aasaa retreated before Genghis Khan could react.

"Dragon Of The Golden Horde." The Dragon coiled around Genghis Khan and with a bout of molten iron, burned away the cage Aasaa made to imprison Genghis Khan.

Genghis Khan turned to Aasaa. Before he issued an order to his Dragon, he received a punch from Florence Nightingale right in the face. Her Angel's Cry enhanced her physical parameters. The Dragon tried to help Genghis Khan by spewing molten iron after Florence Nightingale. She responded by dodging each attack with instinctual awareness, a benefit provided by Angel's Cry.

"The Caster is fighting melee? I have been mocked before, but not to this extent. Die." Genghis Khan activated his scimitar. "Sole Ruler of The Plains." The rippling crash summoned from his Noble Phantasm found Florence Nightingale.

She sustained several broken bones where Genghis Khan's Noble Phantasm hit her. She crashed into a pile of rubble and groaned. The impact scraped her skin and caused her to bleed. With a rush of healing magic from Nurse Of Steel, her body recovered. Aasaa threw gemstones at Genghis Khan, encasing his leg in ice. Now that he was immobilized, Hou Yi unleashed his Piercer Of Nine Suns. Genghis Khan reached for Aasaa with his scimitar who parried using his projected sword.

Meanwhile, Shiori kept the Dragon at bay by transferring the heat from its molten iron away. Lumps of iron tumbled from the Dragon instead of a molten spray. It shook its head and coughed.

Genghis Khan placed his ice covered foot in way of Hou Yi's Noble Phantasm and broke free as a result. Sensing a brief pause in hostility, he used the opportunity to pull out the replica of Misa's sword and throw it before Aasaa. "I killed her already. You will be joining her next."

"That's Misa's sword," said Shiori. "How do you have it?" Then it came, the realization struck as her hands clasped over her mouth, stifling a shrill cry. Shock and despair over her friend's apparent demise turned to hatred for Genghis Khan.

Aasaa saw the blade. His breathing accelerated and his heart raced. He got off to a running start, projecting two swords in his hands, and threw himself at Genghis Khan, as hate filled his chest. He could feel the heat rising within him. Heat which flowed into his arms as his attacks became frenzied. Aasaa's strikes were a blur. Never had he felt such anger. It was as if Genghis Khan had killed a family member of his.

_Misa was on her path to redemption. I guided her as she grew and improved. I cared for her, we fought alongside each other. It cannot end like this. I will not accept it. _

Aasaa had long since abandoned his form. He lashed out with primal malice, each strike filled with pain and regret. He felt accountable for her death. Genghis Khan waited for this, and disarmed him with ease.

"You have succumbed to rage. A mistake. An action committed in anger is one doomed to failure."

"Enough! You bastard," Aasaa said as he bombed Genghis Khan with explosive gemstones. Genghis Khan smiled through the fire.

Shiori responded with her own rage. Fire orbs streamed at Genghis Khan. He absorbed each fiery blast, unfazed.

"Your fire is weak, girl." A self-assured smirk formed on his face, his scimitar already racing towards her.

"How about this?" Shiori retorted.

Her initial orbs were a distraction as she infused Genghis Khan with her mana. She pretended to be unaware of the Dragon behind her. It opened its infernal maw and launched molten iron at her. Shiori infused her mana into the stream of molten iron as it came, and ripped the heat from it, pouring it into Genghis Khan.

It had a bombshell effect, as Genghis Khan's Man Of Iron struggled to keep up with the out-pour of damage. The molten iron melted mana away, and Genghis Khan's Man Of Iron relied on mana to sustain itself. Nevertheless, Man Of Iron outranked the Dragon, and thus Genghis Khan avoided a quick, fiery end. His armour sputtering and weakening, he retreated from Shiori, and deactivated his Dragon, scared of having it turned against him further.

Hou Yi let loose a barrage of arrows that represented his fury. Misa had grown on even him. His arrows represented his pain and his grief at the thought of her death.

Florence Nightingale steadied herself. She fought with every fibre to resist her primal instinct to rush and attack Genghis Khan.

Shiori had to retreat, her magic circuits almost depleted from her previous attack. Aasaa charged past her position, more swords at the ready. Rage bleeding from his actions, his face contorted with rage, he charged at Genghis Khan and lashed with reckless abandon, each strike driven by a riot of emotions. A clash of metal and sparks filled the air the clanging of swords. Genghis Khan shattered Aasaa's weapons as he slashed at him. With bated breath, she witnessed a disarmed Aasaa project a new sword to stab Genghis Khan. His sword shattered as it hit Genghis Khan's invincible body.

Genghis Khan caught hold of him and stabbed him right through the chest. The cruel edge of the scimitar tasted warm, gushing blood. Aasaa coughed, the taste of copper filled his mouth as he grimaced. Shiori let out a screech, bringing her hands to her mouth, as her eyes lost their ability to blink.

"Rage is your worst enemy and my best friend. Look at many sieges I won because I got into the mind of my enemy," Genghis Khan remarked to the dying Aasaa. Genghis Khan kicked him into the crater's wall. He smashed into earth, as dust and pieces of rubble tumble over him. He let out a faint cry in pain and went unconscious.

_I'm sorry Misa. I failed to avenge you. We may meet soon, though I do not want to look you in the eye as a failure. _

"Nightingale Pledge."

"Just delaying the inevitable." Genghis Khan folded his arms to wait.

Florence Nightingale rushed to his side and used Nurse Of Steel and Angel's Cry to revive him. Aasaa's eyes snapped open as his vision returned to him. His soul was moments from drifting off when life flowed through his veins anew. He got up, healthy once again, his heart pumped life-giving blood through his veins as his flesh stitched itself together.

Aasaa projected another sword. He placed an explosive gemstone inside, and raced to Genghis Khan.

Florence Nightingale lifted her Nightingale Pledge just as Aasaa approached. Genghis Khan received the full shock wave of the explosive sword, his armour rattling from the impact, though he remained undamaged.

Hou Yi let out a whistle, sounding just like a bird, to catch Genghis Khan's attention. His bow glowed with the light of a charged arrow. The arrow found its mark, blasting Genghis Khan into the wall in an outburst of searing gold sparks. His defences let a sliver of the damage through, a testament to the force of the blast. The threat of losing his invulnerability wiped away his sense of confidence and superiority. Genghis Khan's Man Of Iron faltered as his mana reached its limits. He had lost his Master a while ago His reign of conquest waned with each passing second.

"That actually did something. Master, he is weakening."

"Isilda must be dead. Isn't she?" Aasaa said.

Rising to his feet, dust flowing off his battered armour, Genghis Khan raised his scimitar at Hou Yi. "You will die Archer, you know this." His eyes alight with the fury of a thunderstorm, nothing short of Hou Yi's mangled corpse could satisfy him now.

"I expect so, if not, then I am not fighting the great Genghis Khan."

Genghis Khan ignored his retort and raised his flail. "Flail Of God." Mana rushed towards the weapon, as the winds picked up, swirling around the epicentre, now the striking head of the flail. It radiated a blinding red light. The rising cloud of dust blurred Genghis Khan's figure until only a red star remained visible. With a swift flick, he slammed the flail into the walls of the crater, its condensed power discharged in a fraction of an instant.

Hou Yi's position gave way, and he collapsed back into the crater.

Genghis Khan gave his opponent no time. Waiting for Hou Yi to fall towards him, he unleashed his other Noble Phantasm. "Sole Ruler Of The Plains."

Hou Yi's bow shattered before him as he was unable to defend himself in his disoriented state. Genghis Khan moved in for the kill, his scimitar gleaming with killing intent. Aasaa moved to defend Hou Yi, planting his feet on the ground and striking from both directions with two swords.

Not hurt by them, Genghis Khan punched Aasaa away. Shiori found the mana to create another fire orb, setting Genghis Khan on fire. He brushed it away, a minor inconvenience at best.

Aasaa landed a few meters left of Hou Yi. Genghis Khan prepared to slash Aasaa with Sole Ruler Of The Plains, when Hou Yi put himself between Aasaa and the attack. He died for that, as the impact at point-blank caused his very being to shatter, mana pouring as he faded away.

"Master, defeat that bastard for me, I go now." Hou Yi said, as he disintegrated. The image of a golden crow flashed before Genghis Khan, blasting him with one last flare of golden fire.

Aasaa had only seconds to lament Hou Yi's passing. Those moments crawled past, as he watched the golden light of Hou Yi's last bow dissipate. When they first met, he hoped Hou Yi would show him how to be a hero. Instead, his Servant showed him that the hero resided deep within him all along. Hou Yi gave him more than just that though. He became a staunch ally and friend, someone to confide doubts and share laughs with. Those moments would forever be locked in the past, the two separated by the veil of death henceforth. However, that did not mean these moments lost their value, as Aasaa slashed Genghis Khan with a Projection of Gordafarid's Scimitar, projected in mere seconds now as his emotions rose. He would not die now, Hou Yi did not save him for nothing. The will the fight burned brighter than his golden arrows. Every act of resistance, every strike he landed on "that son of a bitch" paid respects to his Servant.

Aasaa broke the scimitar upon Genghis Khan to unleash a burst of magic that sent him flying. Genghis Khan smashed into the wall of the crater, its rocky surface giving way under the impact. Aasaa's onslaught still unfinished, he projected Hou Yi's bow, the weapon of a man who gave him much, and took much in return, such as his sanity with his antics.

"Piercer Of Nine Suns!"

The golden spray shattered across Genghis Khan's chest, pulsating with searing sparks that flashed and burned. Genghis Khan reeled from the out-pour of power, fighting to hold on with what remained of his fast depleting Man Of Iron.

Aasaa closed his eyes. He had to focus on the next Projection. Pystykorva materialized in his hands. The humble yet lethal weapon of Finland's greatest defender. Its mana-disrupting rounds pounded Genghis Khan, sputtering his mana for the briefest moments, though Genghis Khan recuperated fast enough to raise his scimitar again.

A close quarter engagement did not deter him. Aasaa projected a copy of Don Quixote's blade, and plunged the weapon at Genghis Khan, even as Don Quixote's blade snapped against Genghis Khan's defence.

The onslaught of four Servant's weapons took a toll on the weakening Genghis Khan, his body now translucent, mana breaking off and fading away. Alas, under his cracked and broken armour still burned an inferno of fury. Genghis Khan channelled his rage into his next attack, repelling Aasaa with a sundering downwards cut that had to dodge. With an opening given to him, he activated his Noble Phantasm. "Dragon Of The Golden Horde!"

No Dragon followed. He lacked the mana to cast it. Often the one to look down on others' weakness, a chill of fear caused him to shiver as the tables had turned.

Florence Nightingale tackled Genghis Khan. She pounced at him before he stuck his scimitar through Aasaa's chest. "Aasaa get out!"

Genghis Khan overwhelmed her, wrestling her off him. He looked down to see a grenade stuck to his armour. It exploded, sending him stumbling backwards.

"Man Of Iron Deactivate." Genghis Khan had no choice any more. Mana particles were beginning to break off from him. After forgoing his defences, his figure solidified again as mana consumption decreased.

"His defences are gone," Shiori said. Aasaa fired the last of his Projected swords. Using multiple Projections of Noble Phantasms had sucked him dry of mana.

Florence Nightingale reloaded her pistol, using Angel's Cry to enhance her punches again. Shiori took that as a cue to rekindle her fire orb. The three of them advanced on Genghis Khan, ready to strike him with their attacks.

They charged into a trap. Even win his weakened state, Genghis Khan was still a master at psychological warfare. Deactivating his defences not only preserved mana, but drew his opponents on the offensive, and now, they were in range. A flail glowing the colour of roaring flames formed in his hand. "Flail Of God."

The rumbling of the walls gave them pause. Florence Nightingale realized the trap, while Aasaa could only watch as the wall of the crater cracked and fell on top of them. In a last ditch effort, he placed Shiori under him as the rocks fell, protecting her.

_Just like Hannes. _

Aasaa mumbled retorts incoherently when Genghis Khan pulled him from the rubble and placed his left arm around him. With his right arm, Genghis Khan brought his scimitar to Aasaa's neck, poised to slit him.

Shiori stood before the two of them, standing frailly amidst a mound of rubble.

"Pact with me." Genghis Khan addressed Shiori, panting as his mana reserves dipped ever lower. "Pact with me or he dies."

Aasaa resisted within Genghis Khan's iron grip. Though he was fading, particles that glittered blue breaking off him, his strength still outstripped that of a human's.

"No Shiori, his mana will be refilled, and he will win," Aasaa said, panting as his attempted to break free. Desperation mounting from his futile efforts, he forced himself to remain strong enough to persuade her against forming a pact with Genghis Khan. "You need to live without me. He has only 30 seconds at best. You won this Grail War. Let me go, I'll go down with him."

"No...Aasaa...I can't."

"Why?"

Shiori brought her hands to her eyes, bracing herself. She steadied her breathing, and looked at him with resigned resolution. "Don't blame yourself. We fought to the end. Others will rise against him."

"He will conquer the world with the wish from the Grail. No! Stop!" Aasaa reached put with his hand, only for Genghis Khan to twist his arm. A snap and then a scream followed by drained heaving.

"Pact with me in the next 10 seconds, or I kill him," Genghis Khan said, staring into Shiori's quivering pupils.

Florence Nightingale lay defeated, crushed under a mountain of rocks. She raised a quivering hand, and made a feeble attempt to cast Nightingale Pledge.

"Stop Florence, he will kill him before you are finished. I surrender," Shiori said.

"No, don't do this, he will kill you once the pact forms, before you can react," Aasaa said. "Shiori, no!"

"I have no choice. Your parents would never forgive themselves too, right?" Shiori said.

Aasaa continued to struggle, words failed him as he cursed himself for getting caught.

_We were so close, and yet we failed. _

A tear flowed from his face as Shiori approached Genghis Khan. "Genghis Khan, I submit to your threat. Promise me you will not kill Aasaa, and I will form a pact with you," Shiori said.

"No Shiori, don't," Aasaa cried.

"I promise," he replied. He was ready to drive his scimitar forward and kill her the moment the pact was formed. This pact would restore his mana, and allow him to win the Grail War.

"Shiori, stop, this is not going to work. If you do this, he will kill you and win," Florence Nightingale said.

Aasaa continued to resist. He strained, pushing against Genghis Khan's grip. Wriggling, struggling, anything to break free to stop Shiori from making a mistake that would cost the world.

Shiori winked at Florence Nightingale, who then understood. Genghis Khan did not notice, his eyes fixated on the command seals forming on Shiori's hand, and his mana returning.

Genghis Khan threw Aasaa to the side and charged at her. Aasaa sat up, fearing what would happen next. He readied himself for their defeat.

"Ha, it was so easy to threaten you, little girl!" he said, scimitar summoned to kill. "I got into your head, and broke you." It raced towards her undefended torso, set to pierce her heart.

"Nightingale Pledge," Florence Nightingale said. She had said its name as the pact formed, making it trigger the instant Genghis Khan was ready to strike. He stopped dead, unable to attack Shiori.

Aasaa realized Shiori's scheme. Relief filled him as he sat down to enjoy the show. "Shiori, go kill that son of a bitch." He pumped his unbroken arm in the air. The relief dulled the pain as Genghis Khan's inevitable defeat unfolded before him. He fought the temptation to run to her and hug her, for she still had one last task to do.

"Florence, reduce the radius of your Noble Phantasm, I will stay within it." Shiori had an aloof expression before the helpless Genghis Khan.

"Understood," Florence Nightingale said.

By reducing her radius, a corner of the crater sat outside the range of her Nightingale Pledge.

"Genghis Khan, I command you to go outside the Nightingale Pledge, and remain there for further instructions." Shiori raised her hand as the first command seal faded.

Genghis Khan struggled to obey, his body moving against his control. A sinking sensation welled in his gut. He feared his imminent defeat, and cursed his inability to stop it.

"Genghis Khan, I command you to deactivate all defensive Noble Phantasms, such as your Man of Iron." The second command seal faded.

He complied. "Man Of Iron Deactivate."

"Genghis Khan, Temujin, with your weapon, I command you to kill yourself." The third command seal faded. Shiori stared at Genghis Khan, her Servant, with disgust. His eyes were wide at being called by his birth name. Only those above him dared to address him with that, and there had been no such person in centuries, until now.

Genghis Khan's arm twitched, before bending back, scimitar in hand. He stabbed himself in the heart, falling to the floor. He tried to get up to kill Shiori, now no longer her Servant. However, Florence Nightingale's Nightingale Pledge is still in effect.

"And, checkmate," said Aasaa. He could not believe that it worked, as Genghis Khan faded away. He taunted them as he did, calling them cowards who never defeated him in combat. Aasaa knew who the real coward was, he who butchered innocents, tore apart an entire city in an effort to win, and resorted to threatening him to save himself.

Aasaa thanked Shiori as she helped him to his feet. "I guess you've won. We should head to the Greater Grail now."

Shiori hugged her Servant. The Lady With The Lamp. Her Pledge brought low one of the mightiest Servants to step forth from the Greater Grail. "Thank you, Florence, for all you did for me."

"We saved many lives together, and I don't want our friendship to end just yet," Florence Nightingale said.

"It doesn't have to. We can go to the Greater Grail and see what the future holds."

"I guess we will find out. By the way, I would have never expected by Noble Phantasm to have been used in that way. You deserve the credit for this one." Florence Nightingale bowed before her Master.

"Says the one who cast the Noble Phantasm. Come let's get out of here."

Aasaa could not agree more. He was exhausted physically and emotionally. An overwhelming sense of relief filled him as he yearned to get out of here and find a place to lie down and rest. This victory was Shiori's. That being said, it turned out that he did not need the Greater Grail to get his wish. He had become the hero he set out to be.

Now out of the crater, the air carried the triumphant cheers from the Finnish soldiers. Thousands of lives were lost, and the rubble of demolished buildings littered Helsinki. Despite all that, Aasaa could not shake the feeling that they, the Finnish people, would rebuild, and recover. They were tough, and one should pity the fools that chose to invade them.

As they walked across the now quiet streets of Helsinki, witnessing the last of Genghis Khan's troops fade into nothing, Aasaa came to one conclusion. He, no they, had saved the city. This was what it meant to be a hero.

Of all the Holy Grail Wars Aasaa had heard of, none of them resulted in a victory. He did not know what to do now that Shiori had won. All that was left for them was to return to the Old Church and claim the Helsinki Grail, and yet, Aasaa feared something was amiss.

With trepid anticipation, they got closer to the entrance of the Old Church catacombs. The actual Old Church had been destroyed by Genghis Khan's Flail of God a week ago. They walked past the shattered remnants of the church, piles of debris no larger than pebbles. Such was the power of Genghis Khan's Noble Phantasm. Aasaa's heart tightened when he saw the place Fezgrem revealed his true intentions, just outside the Old Church. He no longer felt inadequacy or failure from that memory. Instead, he felt satisfaction and growth, the relief of having learned something vital.

They saw several magi now, as they walked down the steps and into the catacombs. They remained silent, and let them through.

"Aasaa! Shiori! Florence!" Misa shouted at the sight of her friends.

Misa's voice, shrill and crisp as ever, pierced through the damp air of the catacombs. The deafening news that she was not dead rooted Aasaa for a moment. Shock gave way to relief, as Misa ran to him and hugged them deeply. Dusty, dirty, bloody, it did not matter to Misa, who outpoured with joy and being reunited with them.

Aasaa hugged her back, allowing his emotions to run free. He clasped her, his joy warming him up after fighting for days in the freezing cold air outside. Their victory in the Grail War did not matter now.

"We won, Misa. Shiori won the Grail War," Aasaa finally remembered to say, though Misa already knew. The Helsinki Grail stood before them, completely unravelled, rays of vaunted light emanating from its radiant core. It covered the walls in a golden aura, as wisps and tendrils of mana coalesced, forming and dissipating. Without a doubt, Florence Nightingale was the last Servant.

Word of Shiori's victory spread, and soon she found herself having to make a wish before the Helsinki Grail. Amidst the judgmental gaze of dozens of elite magi, she could not help but feel inadequate. She probably made dozens of faux pas by simply walking towards the Helsinki Grail. Fighting the feeling of burying her face in her hands, as the magi began to whisper, doubting that she was the true victor, and not "that Emiya/Tohsaka boy". A warm hand rested on her shoulder, the all too familiar swishing sound of a trench-coat as he walked up to help her.

"I'll walk with you, pay them all no mind." Aasaa brimmed with pride, he swore to protect her, and he delivered, even now, against the overly-critical magi that he had little respect for himself. "See them all? For all their tradition and knowledge, you won, and not them."

Aasaa's words gave Shiori new courage to continue, and she held her head high, now talking confident steps up the stairs and into the Helsinki Grail. Florence Nightingale appeared beside her in a brilliant display of yellow light, the incandescent glow of the candle in her lamp empowered to rival the light from the Helsinki Grail. Master and Servant, Shiori and Florence Nightingale, nobody and Heroic Spirit, they entered the Helsinki Grail as equals.


	51. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

In time, Shirou and Rin cleared Misa of any involvement in Sircolia's coup against Lord El-Melloi The Second, citing her actions in the Helsinki Grail War to oppose Sircolia and his magi as a mitigating factor. Furthermore, she continued to aid in the effort against Genghis Khan who came close to using the Helsinki Grail to rule the world.

After Misa found herself free from the chains of her past, Shirou and Rin adopted her as a member of their family. Aasaa welcomed her into the family with open arms. Embracing her, she expressed immeasurable joy, as all her goals were finally achieved. Both of them looked forward to a fun-filled future together, for they had a lifetime's worth of problems behind them already.

Shiori used her wish to repair the damage done to Helsinki, while Florence Nightingale wished for a physical body so she may continue to walk the Earth, bringing salvation to those in need. She vowed to wander the Earth eternally, saving anyone who needed it. It was a fitting fate for the Lady with the Lamp.

Shiori wanted to follow Florence Nightingale on her quest to save people, however, she turned her down. Deciding that Shiori had a life to lead, Florence Nightingale insisted she embark on this journey alone. In the end, they compromised, as Shiori would occasionally accompany her Servant, the two of them travelling the world on a quest to bring help to those who needed it.

The Helsinki Grail was placed under House El-Melloi's protection, it's current whereabouts unknown to almost all magi. Only Aasaa and Shiori knew, besides the magi sent to protect it, and they intended to keep it that way forever. One Grail War was more than enough.

Under Aasaa's influence, House El-Melloi managed to erect a statue for Lord El-Melloi The Second. The statue paid respects to his work to dismantle the original Holy Grail, and contain the Helsinki Grail. They honoured him for being the first to have the courage to go against tradition and decide that the Grail Wars were not worth the trouble and risk. Some time later, a statue of Hannes joined him, recognizing that it was he who did the groundwork under Lord El-Melloi The Second's guidance and instruction.

Years passed. Now a senior instructor at the Clocktower, Aasaa sported a full head of white hair, a mark of honour for his mastery of Projection magic. His devotion to his craft was spurred by the lessons he learned from the Helsinki Grail War, and his talent rivaled the senior magi. Begrudgingly, they eventually gave him some respect and recognition, and allowed him to give lectures every so often. Aasaa managed to secure himself a cozy office, a little sanctuary for him to retreat to and reflect on the lessons the Helsinki Grail War taught him. He once believed he would never forget about it, for initially, the Grail War never left his mind. Then, it only occurred to him a few times a day, and then once a day. Eventually he only remembered it once every week, then once every month, and soon he was so occupied with other matters that he had to specifically set aside time to reflect on it. He vowed to never let go of its memory completely. He found it a personal obligation to remember the heroes of that event, the losses and sacrifices, the hopes and triumphs. Every moment had untarnishable value to him.

Aasaa's quiet revelry ended with the abrupt entry of his assistant. His face was red, and he perspired profusely. Aasaa realized that something must have flustered him, and sat up, paying him due attention.

"Sir-" he stammered, uncomfortable around a hero of the Helsinki Grail War.

"Call me Aasaa, no matter what." Aasaa sat up to pay attention to him with kind eyes.

"Sorry, Aasaa, we are still receiving reports that a mysterious entity is wandering non-magi society, interfering with significant events." A pile of papers shifted uncomfortably in his arms as he blurted out the report to him.

Aasaa made space on his desk for him to place the papers. "The Wandering Angel? Again?"

"Yes, that is what some of the magi have named the entity," he continued, thanking Aasaa for his help.

"Go on," Aasaa said. He knew where this was going, and did his best to hide his smile.

"They, or it will show up at times of disaster to rescue the wounded and dying. It has happened for years now, and we are no closer to getting to the bottom of it. Many are concerned they will expose our society to the non-magi."

"How many are out there?" Aasaa feigned ignorance of the matter, expressing genuine interest. He had long sought for a chance to meet Shiori and Florence Nightingale again. Misa spent most of her days safe in Fuyuki. He continued to think, deciding that Misa should be present too the next time he meets Shiori and Florence Nightingale.

"The incidents occur one at a time, most of the time, it's one entity, but yesterday, we saw two of them." Aasaa's assistant presented him a picture taken in the aftermath of a tornado in America. Two figures were distinguishable, one holding a lamp while they tended to the wounded.

"I see. I can't help you, because I fear this isn't my department." Aasaa calculated his words and actions. He knew the Clocktower still had opinions against anyone or anything exposing the secret world they had.

"That's where you're wrong Sir, I mean, Aasaa."

"Oh?"

"The others sent to investigate failed to find anything, though there are certain that you, the 2nd Hero of Justice, will succeed where others have failed." The assistant bumbled through and took a seat before Aasaa's desk, apologizing as he tripped, and noisily dragged the chair across the floor. Aasaa did not mind, and tried to remind him that his office was, and always will be, an informal environment.

"That's what I'm called now? I am honoured. Truly. Though I'm afraid I must refuse the job."

"Alright, sorry to bother you." The assistant started to rise, though he showed signs of awkwardness, given that he just took a seat only seconds ago.

"No worries. Thank you for the news, it pleases me to know someone or something is out there looking out for the downtrodden."

The assistant returned to his seat. Whatever Aasaa said was worthy of attention. "Aasaa, you support this entity? It risks exposing us, and that it the most important detail."

"I can't officially support it, though personally, this entity has done nothing but good for people and should not be stopped." Aasaa leaned back on his chair, clapping his arms together, stretching a little. He did all he could to mask the joy and satisfaction he felt, knowing that Shiori and Florence Nightingale were out there being heroes. Thinking further, he found it off how he did not itch to join them. Alas, he felt burnt-out after the Grail War, and things always seemed to get in the way whenever he wanted to go for another adventure. He decided he had made enough excuses. What was he doing in a cozy office while Shiori was out there rescuing people from tornadoes?

"An interesting opinion. May I quote you? I promise it won't be used against you." The assistant already had his pen out. If there was one thing he knew about Aasaa, it was that he always stood by what he said.

"Go ahead. It's time we changed some of our priorities anyway." Aasaa folded his arms, straightening his body, as if quietly issuing a challenge. He did not fear the bureaucracy and rigid mindset of the other magi.

"If you say so. Is that all?" the assistant asked.

"Yup." Aasaa smiled, waiting for the assistant to leave before making his call. On his communicator. It was the same one Hannes gave him to call the Clocktower from Helsinki on Day 1 of the Grail War.

"Misa, how are things in Fuyuki? Taking care of Mom and Dad?" Aasaa spoke quickly, awaiting to hear his sister's bubbly voice.

"More like they're taking care of me." Misa sounded as if she was eating something. "This white chocolate soufflé is phenomenal."

"Awesome. So, I have this plan to meet Shiori and Florence. You in?"

"Me? In? Of course! Don't be late like that time." Misa huffed, reminding Aasaa of the time he failed to attend her birthday because a junior magus begged him to help him with an essay, and the hero in him could not refuse.

"It's not like that time."

"Heard that one before," Misa said. Aasaa sighed, only to receive a giggle from her.

Aasaa and Misa wandered the Gobi Desert. It was in the dead of night, and the moonlight lit the shifting sands. A light orb followed Misa around, as she stroked it occasionally, giggling as it flickered and flashed on contact.

Aasaa smiled at her. She was finally happy with the life she led, her carefree giggle told him so.

They found a caravan lost in the desert, its passengers out of fuel and water. There they were. Shiori and Florence Nightingale, tending to the dehydrated. A glowing orb of fire gave the passengers warmth, as the desert can get cold at night.

Aasaa and Misa waited so Shiori and Florence Nightingale could finish their work. With Item Creation, Florence Nightingale created fresh supplies and fuel for them. She healed the passengers with Nurse Of Steel. With their vitality restored, Shiori gave them directions to the nearest settlement so they could return to civilization. Aasaa understood the significance of Florence Nightingale using her abilities. No longer tied to the Helsinki Grail, with a physical body, all the mana she used had to come from somewhere. Even a simple healing ability would be draining. He remembered persuading a magus to tie Florence Nightingale to the leylines under Helsinki Old Church to reduce the cost, though her mana was still limited.

Watching the caravan take off, fading in the distance as a small cloud of dust, Shiori noticed Aasaa and Misa approaching them. She turned to them, removed her headgear and cried out their names in joy.

Aasaa had no words for their reunion. He simply hugged her.

Misa quoted her long-gone Servant and friend. "Where there is great love, there is often little display of it."

"I'm so glad to see you again. I've been busy, switching between my normal life in Helsinki and helping Florence." Shiori gripped Aasaa and Misa as they huddled together.

"Sorry we did not keep in touch. Stuff keeps coming up at the Clocktower," Aasaa said.

"And I've been bumming around in Fuyuki, Japan," Misa said. "But the food and company's great."

Aasaa let out a hearty laugh. Misa was the one who watched over their parents Shirou and Rin while Aasaa worked at the Clocktower. Being the one to watch over them had certain gastronomic benefits, as was the custom for anyone sharing a roof with Shirou.

In the end, the 4 of them made plans to finally begin the adventure Shiori and Misa promised to embark on. They agreed to start in Spain, Don Quixote's homeland.

What followed next was not a catastrophe.

From re-enacting Don Quixote's attempt to attack windmills amidst barrels of laughter from Shiori, to Florence Nightingale vanishing for 2 days only to be found at a nearby orphanage that ran out of power in China.

Then came the time Aasaa used Projection magic to replace their lost items when they left their luggage behind in Tunisia, and then said Projected items fading to mana while they were being used during the tour of neighbouring Morocco.

They did not catch a break when Aasaa contracted some weird disease in Chile, and depended on Florence Nightingale's healing, or the time Misa managed to turn the entire Amazon Rainforest on her with her ceaseless chattering and giggling.

Next, they ended up in Australia, where Shiori begged the others to leave before the first day was up because of the heat, though she later grew attracted to a snack called "fairy bread", and insisted they stay a little longer. With Florence Nightingale at their side, they had no reason to fear the wildlife that many had warned them about.

Their last destination was a tour of Helsinki, revisiting all the places they shared moments of joy and moments of grief. Places they once fought in, places they once bonded in. Walking down a street he fought Genghis Khan on, Aasaa could almost hear the faint galloping of his horse's hooves.

They went to the silver birch where Hannes rested, pleased that it was undisturbed. After paying their respects to him, Aasaa could not help but feel that Hannes was smiling at them from beyond the grave.

It snowed again when they made their way to Suomenlinna, to revisit the underground fortress and dine at the café Shiori and Aasaa had a "date" in. At long last, Misa had the chance to try the food there. Nevertheless, Florence Nightingale made somewhere between 6 and 19 attempts to steal her food, displaying a fun-loving side she inherited from Hou Yi that she rarely expressed. Shiori once again complained about the soup having too many potatoes. In the end, Aasaa had to fetch her a cup of coffee to wash down the potato-ey soup.

Smiling at how some things never changed, how he did not want them to change, Aasaa reversed his stance on the Grail Wars. He now believed in its power to grant wishes. The Helsinki Grail brought them together, from different corners of the world, and made them one. Now that was the true miracle. 

* * *

**Submit any character ideas (I will be open to SYOCs) via messaging my profile or through the review system. I'm considering writing a sequel to this story.**  
**Thanks for reading. The End. **


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